Clinical biochemistry
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Clinical biochemistry · Feb 2003
The effects of anesthetic techniques on acute phase response at delivery (anesthesia and acute phase response).
To investigate the effects of anesthetic techniques and delivery types on stress response during uncomplicated delivery. ⋯ We found no influence of anesthetic techniques on acute phase response except hemodilution effect. In the view of delivery types, vaginal delivery caused less stress response than section.
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Clinical biochemistry · Nov 2002
Myoglobin, creatine kinase MB isoforms and creatine kinase MB mass in early diagnosis of myocardial infarction in patients with acute chest pain.
Measurements of myoglobin and creatine kinase (CK)-MB isoforms have been suggested to be sensitive tests for the early diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI). We have investigated the utility of myoglobin, creatine kinase (CK)-MB isoforms and creatine kinase MB mass (CK-MBm) in early diagnosis of MI using cardiac troponin T (cTnT) positivity as a reference. ⋯ According to the present findings, CK-MB isoforms or myoglobin offer no advantage over CK-MBm as early markers of myocardial infarction.
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Clinical biochemistry · Oct 2002
ReviewDrug and chemical metabolites in clinical toxicology investigations: the importance of ethylene glycol, methanol and cannabinoid metabolite analyses.
Metabolic pathways in humans have been elucidated for most therapeutic drugs, drugs of abuse, and various chemical/solvents. In most drug overdose cases and chemical exposures, laboratory analysis is directed toward identification and quantitation of the unchanged drug or chemical in a biologic fluid such as serum or whole blood. Specifically, most clinical laboratories routinely screen and quantitate unchanged methanol and/or ethylene glycol in suspected poisonings without toxic metabolite analysis. ⋯ Serial monitoring of the major urinary cannabinoid metabolite (delta(9)-THC-COOH) to creatinine ratios in paired urine specimens (collected at least 24 h apart) could differentiate new marijuana or hashish use from residual cannabinoid metabolite excretion in urine after drug use according to Huestis. The second objective is to demonstrate that creatinine corrected urine specimens positive for cannabinoids may help differentiate new marijuana use from the excretion of residual delta(9) -THC-COOH in chronic users of marijuana or hashish. Analysis of toxic chemical metabolites are helpful in the assessment and treatment of chemical poisoning whereas serial monitoring of urinary cannabinoid metabolites are predictive of illicit drug use in the substance abusing population.
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Buprenorphine at high dosage became available in France in 1996, as a substitution treatment for heroin addicts. Since this date, numerous deaths were attributed to this drug. This paper reports a new series of 13 fatalities involving buprenorphine observed at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Strasbourg, between August 2000 to October 2001. ⋯ IV injection of crushed tablets, a concomitant intake of psychotropics (especially benzodiazepines and neuroleptics) and the high dosage of the buprenorphine formulation available in France appear as the major risk factors for such fatalities.
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Clinical biochemistry · Oct 2002
Comparative StudyDialyzable free cortisol after stimulation with Synacthen.
To compare the changes in free vs. total serum cortisol concentrations after acute stimulation of the adrenal cortex. ⋯ After acute neuroendocrine stimulation of the adrenal cortex the relative increase of free bioactive cortisol concentrations is substantially more pronounced than the increase of total cortisol concentrations.