Clinical chemistry
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Concentrations of C-reactive protein and B-type natriuretic peptide 30 days after acute coronary syndromes independently predict hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death.
Heart failure (HF) is an important cause of morbidity in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). C-reactive protein (CRP) has been implicated in experimental models as exacerbating myocardial injury, but data regarding the clinical relationship of high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations with the risk of HF after ACS are few. ⋯ Both hsCRP and BNP measured 30 days after ACS are independently associated with the risk of HF and cardiovascular death, with the greatest risk occurring when both markers are increased.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Stability of soluble adhesion molecules, selectins, and C-reactive protein at various temperatures: implications for epidemiological and large-scale clinical studies.
We assessed the impact of sample storage conditions on soluble vascular cell adhesion molecules (sVCAM), soluble intracellular adhesion molecules (sICAM-1), soluble (s)E-selectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and sP-selectin. ⋯ sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, and CRP are stable in plasma or whole blood at 4 and 21 degrees C for at least 3 days and sE-selectin for 2 days. sP-selectin is not stable and therefore requires immediate assay.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Medical and economic long-term effects of B-type natriuretic peptide testing in patients with acute dyspnea.
The objective of this prospective study was to assess the medical and economic long-term effects of using B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations in the management of patients with acute dyspnea. ⋯ Rapid BNP testing in patients with acute dyspnea has no effect on long-term mortality. However, morbidity as quantified by days spent in-hospital and economic outcome are still improved at 360 days.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Urinary cannabinoid detection times after controlled oral administration of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol to humans.
Urinary cannabinoid excretion and immunoassay performance were evaluated by semiquantitative immunoassay and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of metabolite concentrations in 4381 urine specimens collected before, during, and after controlled oral administration of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). ⋯ The use of cannabinoid-containing foodstuffs and cannabinoid-based therapeutics, and continued abuse of oral cannabis require scientific data for accurate interpretation of cannabinoid tests and for making reliable administrative drug-testing policy. At the federally mandated cannabinoid cutoffs, it is possible but unlikely for a urine specimen to test positive after ingestion of manufacturer-recommended doses of low-THC hemp oils. Urine tests have a high likelihood of being positive after Marinol therapy. The Emit II and DRI assays had adequate sensitivity and specificity, but the CEDIA assay failed to detect many true-positive specimens.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Clinical and analytical performance of the liaison cardiac troponin I assay in unstable coronary artery disease, and the impact of age on the definition of reference limits. A FRISC-II substudy.
Measurements of cardiac troponins are currently used as the standard for the detection of myocardial injury. None of the current assays complies with the new requirements on assay imprecision as proposed by the European Society of Cardiology/American College of Cardiology. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical and analytical performance of the Liaison cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assay. ⋯ The Liaison cTnI assay is a sensitive assay with a CV < or =10% at the 99th percentile URL. The ability to detect age-related differences among apparently healthy individuals is unique among today's commercial assays. The results indicate that different assays seem to identify different patient cohorts for cardiac risk in the lower range of cTnI concentrations.