Clinical biochemistry
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Clinical biochemistry · Jan 2013
Day-to-day variation of urinary NGAL and rational for creatinine correction.
The number of clinical studies evaluating the new tubular biomarker urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (U-NGAL) in urine are increasing. There is no consensus whether absolute U-NGAL concentrations or urinary NGAL/creatinine (U-NGAL/Cr) ratios should be used when chronic tubular dysfunction is studied. The aim was to study the biological variation of U-NGAL in healthy subjects and the rational for urinary creatinine (U-Cr) correction in two different study samples. ⋯ The study provides some support for the use of U-NGAL/Cr ratio but the rather large biological variation and risk of possible overadjustment need to be considered. Both absolute U-NGAL and U-NGAL/Cr ratios should be reported for the estimation of chronic tubular dysfunction.
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Clinical biochemistry · Jan 2013
MTHFR C677T and eNOS G894T variants in preeclamptic women: Contribution to lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.
We aimed to investigate the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) G894T polymorphisms with lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and the risk of preeclampsia in preeclamptic women. ⋯ The present study indicates that MTHFR C677T polymorphism through affecting on TG level, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress might be involved in the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia.
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Clinical biochemistry · Nov 2012
Signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1) level in hemodialysis patients and parameters affecting that level.
Signal peptide-CUB (complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1)-EGF (epidermal growth factor)-domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE1) is a cell surface protein belonging to the SCUBE gene family. SCUBE1 has been shown to rise in parallel with platelet activation in acute ischemic events. However, there are no studies showing levels in the hemodialysis patient group, in which there is known to be an increase in platelet function impairment and activation. The purpose of this study was to investigate SCUBE1 levels in a hemodialysis patient group and the factors affecting those levels. ⋯ We have shown, for the first time in the literature, that SCUBE1 level, a potential acute ischemia marker, is elevated in hemodialysis patients with no clinical ischemic event, and that various factors affect this elevation.
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Clinical biochemistry · Nov 2012
Comparative StudyShort-term (90 min) diagnostic performance for acute non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and 30-day prognostic evaluation of a novel third-generation high sensitivity troponin I assay.
We evaluated a third-generation high sensitivity "guidelines acceptable" troponin I assay (hs-cTnI) against a contemporary "clinically usable" troponin assay (cTnI). ⋯ The hs-cTnI assay achieved a 90-minute rule out for AMI and detected more 3 times as many AMI cases. The specificity increased with the Δ30% criteria. The hs-cTnI assay also detected more cases of patient at risk for adverse cardiac events at 30 days.
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Clinical biochemistry · Sep 2012
Review Meta AnalysisEffectiveness of practices to reduce blood sample hemolysis in EDs: a laboratory medicine best practices systematic review and meta-analysis.
To complete a systematic review of emergency department (ED) practices for reducing hemolysis in blood samples sent to the clinical laboratory for testing. ⋯ Use of new straight needle venipuncture instead of IV starts is effective at reducing hemolysis rates in EDs, and is recommended as an evidence-based best practice. The overall strength of evidence rating is high and the effect size is substantial. Unpublished studies made an important contribution to the body of evidence. When IV starts must be used, observed rates of hemolysis may be substantially reduced by placing the IV at the antecubital site.