Journal of clinical laboratory analysis
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J. Clin. Lab. Anal. · Sep 2013
Can we predict postoperative pancreatic leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy using preoperative fecal elastase-1 level?
The measurement of fecal elastas-1 in stools is a sensitive and relatively inexpensive noninvasive test. The aim of this study was to study fecal elastase levels in patients who develop pancreatic leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) to determine if fecal elastase level can be used to predict patients at high risk for pancreatic leakage after PD. ⋯ Fecal elastase-1 is the most simple and objective method for predicting pancreatic leakage after PD.
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J. Clin. Lab. Anal. · Sep 2013
Risk factors for intensive care unit acquired nasal colonization of MRSA and its impact on MRSA infection.
We aimed to determine the risk factors of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization, and the impact of colonization on MRSA infection to evaluate the necessity of MRSA survey program in intensive care units (ICUs) in Turkey. ⋯ The presence of gastrostomy and femoral catheter, and the duration of ICU hospitalization were found to be related with ICU-acquired MRSA colonization. Also, MRSA nares colonization increased the rates of both MRSA infection and ICU hospitalization.
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J. Clin. Lab. Anal. · Sep 2013
Stratified reporting of high sensitivity troponin I assay is associated with suboptimal management of patients with acute coronary syndrome and intermediate troponin elevation.
Newer troponin assays provide high sensitivity and precision and are reported in a stratified manner by some laboratories. We sought to investigate the clinical impact of such reporting in the treatment of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ⋯ Patients in the intermediate troponin group that meet the guideline definition of acute myocardial infarction are less likely to receive optimal medical and invasive therapy as compared to the high troponin group even though TIMI risk scores were similar in the two groups.