Clinical biochemistry
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Clinical biochemistry · Dec 1996
Reference interval for whole blood ionized magnesium in a healthy population and the stability of ionized magnesium under varied laboratory conditions.
To establish a reference interval for ionized magnesium (iMg), to evaluate the stability of whole blood iMg under varied laboratory storage conditions, and to study the correlation between total and iMg in healthy volunteers and in an intensive care unit (ICU) population. ⋯ Using the NOVA 8 Electrolyte Analyzer, we established a reference interval for whole blood iMg in a healthy Canadian population. The correlation between ionized Mg and total Mg was weak, but statistically significant. Ionized Mg levels in lithium heparin tubes were stable over 5 days when specimens were stored at 4 degrees C, suggesting that specimens may be stored at least overnight prior to processing.
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To update some essential trace metals required in total parenteral nutrition. ⋯ Essential trace metals, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc are added to parenteral fluids to prevent the development of deficiency syndromes. When possible, these metals should be monitored, even in patients on short-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) to avoid deficiency or toxicity. Many of the nutrients or additives used in parenteral solutions may be contaminated with metals, such as aluminum or chromium. Such trace-metal monitoring becomes more critical in infants, and those on long-term TPN.
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Clinical biochemistry · Oct 1994
Combination (multiple) testing for myocardial infarction using myoglobin, creatine kinase-2 (mass), and troponin T.
We retrospectively determined the mass concentrations of myoglobin, creatine kinase-2 (CK-2), and troponin T in serial samples from 80 patients with confirmed myocardial infarction (MI) and 60 non-MI patients. Results from receiver operating characteristic curve analyses show that all three tests are comparable in their diagnostic utility within the first 12 h of infarction. Decision thresholds were selected at a constant rule-in specificity of 95% and rule-out sensitivities of 95% at, respectively, 3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 h intervals after the onset of symptoms. ⋯ Serum troponin T is diagnostically similar to CK-2 (mass), although it has superior cardiac-tissue specificity, but it is not as yet commercially available as a "stat" test. Therefore, we recommend using troponin T as a confirmatory test 9 h after the onset of MI. Based on our findings, we suggest a testing algorithm for the early biochemical diagnosis of MI.
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Clinical biochemistry · Feb 1992
Comparative StudyDiabetes mellitus induces red blood cell plasma membrane alterations possibly affecting the aging process.
Various alterations of red blood cell (RBC) plasma membrane appear both in diabetes mellitus and during the physiological aging process. Diabetes mellitus decreases RBC life-span; therefore, it may change the plasma membrane by acting through its effect on the aging process. In order to clarify the issue, RBCs from normal subjects and insulin-dependent diabetic patients were fractionated in five subpopulations of different mean age (fraction 1: early young RBC, fraction 5: mature RBC). ⋯ In the case of lipid peroxidation and fluidity diabetes mellitus seems to affect the membrane by decreasing RBC life span, whereas in the case of Na+K(+)-ATPase it seems to alter this enzymatic activity which in turn might affect RBC aging. Acetylcholinesterase activity decreased during aging in RBCs from normal subjects, but it increased in RBCs from diabetic patients; RBC subpopulation from fraction 1, on the other hand, showed similar values in normal subjects and diabetic patients. In this case the effect of diabetes mellitus appears only during aging.