Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jun 2004
Comparative StudyCell-free plasma DNA as a prognostic marker in intensive treatment unit patients.
Recent evidence suggests that cell-free plasma DNA has potential use as a prognostic marker in many clinical settings. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of cell-free plasma DNA in the prediction of clinical outcome in intensive treatment unit (ITU) patients. Cell-free plasma DNA was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the beta-globin gene and SOFA score, APACHE II score, CRP concentrations, and clinical outcome (duration of stay, ventilation time, and mortality) were noted in 94 patients on admission to the ITU. ⋯ The median DNA concentration in nonsurvivors was 9148 GE/mL, and this was 2.3-fold greater than that in survivors (3921 GE/ml, P <0.001). ROC analysis of the data indicated a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 80% when DNA concentration of 6109 GE/mL was taken as a predictor of death. The data suggest that cell-free plasma DNA concentration is potentially useful as a prognostic marker in ITU patients.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jun 2004
Ultrasound as an alternative to aspiration for determining the nature of pleural effusion, especially in older people.
Sonography was performed by two expert radiologists separately after selecting 80 patients (45 men and 35 women) whose pleural fluids had been aspirated and examined by the lab. The radiologists were given no clinical information concerning the patients, and the result compared with lab results. The radiologists evaluated three criteria in determining the nature of the pleural effusion: septation, echogenicity, and thickening of pleura by more than 3 mm. ⋯ The lab results showed that there were 29 patients with transudates and 51 with exudates, and in ultrasound results there were 34 with transudates and 46 with exudates. A transudate is always without echogenicity, while exudates can be with or without echogenicity. It was therefore concluded that sonography is useful in determining the nature of pleural effusion.