Journal of clinical pathology
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Detection of plasmid-mediated AmpC in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis.
This study investigated the prevalence of plasmid-mediated AmpC production in selected clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species and Proteus mirabilis, and compared the results of boronic acid disc screening with conventional susceptibility testing for the detection of AmpC-positive isolates. ⋯ The prevalence of plasmid-mediated ampC was high in the study population, and may be missed by conventional susceptibility testing methods. Inhibitor-based screening methods would improve detection of this emerging resistance phenotype.
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To derive the relationship for the difference between direct and indirect ion selective electrode measurements of serum sodium and the total protein concentration. ⋯ A linear regression equation for the relationship of the absolute difference between direct and indirect ion selective electrode measurements of serum sodium and the total protein concentration can be validly derived. However, due to the large spread of data around the regression line, such equations should not be employed to decide when to use direct electrodes instead of indirect electrodes in routine clinical laboratories.
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Various scales have been devised to predict development of pressure ulcers on the basis of clinical and laboratory data, such as the Braden Scale (Braden score), which is used to monitor activity and skin conditions of bedridden patients. However, none of these scales facilitates clinically reliable prediction. ⋯ The new indicator may become a more useful clinical tool for predicting presser ulcers than Braden score. The new indicator warrants verification studies to facilitate its clinical implementation in the future.
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Incretins such as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are intestinal postprandial hormones that stimulate insulin release from the pancreas as long as circulating glucose concentrations are raised. In addition to their effect on insulin secretion and consequent glucose lowering, GIP and GLP-1, especially the latter, have a number of physiological effects such as inhibition of glucagon release, gastric emptying and food intake, as well as a tropic action on pancreatic B-cell mass. There is currently a pandemic of obesity and diabetes, and existing treatments are largely inadequate both in regard to efficacy as well as their ability to tackle important factors in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). ⋯ Consequently, achieving better control of diabetes with lower HbA1c is the goal of optimal treatment. Despite the use of usual therapeutic agents in T2D, often in high doses and as combinations, such as metformin, sulphonylurea, alpha-glycosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones and a number of animal and human insulin preparations, optimal control of glycaemia is not achieved. The use of incretins as therapeutic agents offers a new approach to the treatment of T2D.