Clin Lab
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Fibrinogen is routinely determined by functional assay on citrated plasma in the hematology department. However, immunoassay can be performed easily with nephelometric analyzer in the clinical chemistry laboratory allowing automatization. The aim of this study was first to compare the clotting von Clauss method (activity assay) with an immunonephelometric method (antigen assay) on the BN ProSpec (Dade Behring). Moreover, we evaluated the possibility of collecting blood samples on heparin to facilitate blood collection for clinicians and reduce required blood collection volumes for dosages. ⋯ As a result, the immunonephelometric method shows reliable performance and clinical sample measurements are not affected by the method used, validating the use of heparinized plasma samples for fibrinogen antigen determination with Dade Behring reagents.
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This review will highlight the potential application of procalcitonin, a novel marker of systemic bacterial infection, in two clinical settings relevant to cardiologists: infective endocarditis (IE) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI): The variability in the clinical presentation of infective endocarditis (IE) makes the diagnosis a clinical challenge. However, rapid diagnosis and initiation of effective treatment are essential to good patient outcome. Serum calcitonin precursor levels, including procalcitonin, are elevated in systemic bacterial infections and seem to be helpful in the diagnosis of IE. ⋯ Clinical and laboratory outcome was similar in both groups and favourable in 96.7%. In the procalcitonin group, the adjusted relative risk of antibiotic exposure was 0.49 (p < 0.001), as compared to the standard group. Thus, using a sensitive assay, procalcitonin-guidance substantially and safely reduced antibiotic usage in LRTI.
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Comparative Study
Fecal leukocyte proteins in inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
The aim of this prospective study was to compare five different leukocyte proteins in feces of patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy persons who underwent prophylactic colonoscopy. ⋯ Fecal PMN-elastase and calprotectin support the differentiation of chronic IBD from IBS and correlate with the severity of inflammation.
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The family of natriuretic peptides comprises several structurally related 22-53-amino acid peptides, such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), which are vasoactive peptides with vasodilator and diuretic properties and play an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis. The salutary cardiovascular effects of natriuretic peptides suggest that ANP and BNP may have a pathophysiological significance in the cardiac dysfunction of septic patients. We determined plasma levels of the stable N-terminal prohormone forms of ANP (NT-proANP) and BNP (NT-proBNP) as well as troponin I (TNI) as a marker of myocardial cell injury by ELISA methods in 19 septic patients and 19 healthy controls at day one of severe sepsis. ⋯ Significantly higher concentrations of NT-proANP were measured in non-survivors (mean = 13415 pmol/l +/- SEM = 4295) and survivors (mean = 7386 pmol/l +/- SEM = 1807) as compared to controls (mean = 1404 pmol/l +/- SEM = 181; p<0.001). Levels of NT-proBNP were also significantly higher in non-survivors (mean = 3439 pmol/l +/- SEM = 1246; p<0.05) and survivors (mean = 1009 pmol/l +/- SEM = 263; p<0.001) as compared to controls (mean = 200 pmol/l +/- SEM = 24) and correlated well with an increase in TNI-levels (r = 0.71; p<0.001). NT-proANP and NT-proBNP may serve as useful laboratory markers to indicate myocardial dysfunction and may help to differentiate between survivors and non-survivors of severe sepsis.
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Hereditary hemochromatosis is the most common autosomal recessive disease in populations of Northern European ancestry. Population studies demonstrated highly variable frequencies of the HFE Cys282Tyr allele in various regions throughout Europe and decreasing allele frequencies from north to south. However, most of the German prevalence studies covered the central and southern regions of the country. ⋯ The HFE Cys282Tyr allele frequency was 4.44%. Phenotypic markers of iron overload were elevated in one homozygote. We conclude that in contrast to previous hemochromatosis prevalence studies in Germany using blood donors or employees, the present study involving hospital patients estimated a HFE Cys282Tyr allele frequency of 4.44% and supports the emerging concept of an allele gradient decreasing from North to South within Germany.