Clin Lab
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Na+ and K+ concentration measurements by ion-selective electrodes and flame photometry are affected by lipids influencing plasma water content. ⋯ The lipid status of patients influences recognition of hypernatremia if assays are based on total plasma volume. No effect of lipids was observed on the recognition of hyperkalemia.
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Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a dominantly inherited form of non-ketotic diabetes. It usually develops in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood. The disease is heterogenous regarding the genetic and clinical features. ⋯ This form is associated with pancreatic atrophy, renal morphologic and functional abnormalities, genital tract malformations and pathological liver test. Compared to MODY2, 3, and 5, the remaining subtypes of MODY have a much lower prevalence. Molecular diagnosis has important consequences for prognosis, family screening and therapy.
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Microcytic erythropoiesis in case of anemia is frequently due to iron deficiency or may be due to alpha- and beta- thalassemia trait as a result of increased activity of erythropoiesis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate alterations with regard to the degree of hemoglobinization in reticulocytes in comparison with mature erythrocytes. Iron availability in subjects with anemia resulting from iron deficiency and alpha- or beta- thalassemia was studied by application of conventional as well hemocytometric parameters that have recently become available. ⋯ For the ratio of hemoglobin content of reticulocytes and erythrocytes, obviously decreased results are demonstrated in the case of subjects with iron deficiency anemia (1.02 +/- 0.08, mean +/- SD) and in the case of beta-thalassemia (1.06 +/- 0.04) if compared with the group of reference subjects (1.11 +/- 0.02) and a-thalassemia (1.11 +/- 0.07). Evaluation of the hemoglobinization state should be performed by means of pattern recognition in concordance with characteristic profiles for parameters reflecting the actual iron state. In case of therapy the result of intervention can be appropriately monitored by longitudinal follow-up.
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Comparative Study
Method comparison of cardiac marker assays on PATHFAST, StratusCS, AxSYM, Immulite 2000, triage, elecsys and cardiac reader.
The purpose of this evaluation was to perform a method comparison of the assays for cardiac troponin I (cTnl), CK-MB, myoglobin, and NT-proBNP on the automated PATHFAST Immuno-Assay Analyzer with respective immunoassays on other commercially available immunoanalyzers. The PATHFAST assays are immunochemiluminescent assays (in single reagent cartridges) employing two mono- or polyclonal antibodies in a sandwich test format. The calibration materials for cTnI and CK-MB are standardized to the reference materials NIST SRM 2921 (troponin CIT complex) and IRMM-IFCC 455 (CK-MB mass). ⋯ Also the comparison of PATHFAST NTproBNP against the Roche Elecsys assay yielded a very good correlation (r = 0.992). The slopes of the regression line among methods showed considerable variation indicating that standardization efforts by international groups are indispensable to achieve harmonization of results. In summary, this evaluation study confirms the overall good correlation of the results obtained with assays for cardiac markers developed on the PATHFAST analyzer with those on other immunoassay platforms and thus the analytical reliability of the developed methods.