Annals of clinical and laboratory science
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Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci. · Jan 2019
Simvastatin and Simvastatin-Ezetimibe Improve the Neurological Function and Attenuate the Endothelial Inflammatory Response after Spinal Cord Injury in Rat.
During a spinal cord injury (SCI), mechanical trauma rapidly leads to a blood-spinal cord barrier (BSB) disruption, neural cell damage, axonal damage, and demyelination, followed by a cascade of secondary inflammatory reactions. These inflammatory responses spread the damage to the neural cells and impair the recovery of neurological functions. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of simvastatin and a simvastatin-ezetimibe combination therapy in managing the endothelial inflammatory response in an SCI rat model. ⋯ The treatment groups showed significant reduction in ICAM-1 levels at 72 hours. The treatment groups, especially the combination treatment group, showed better neurological function scores. Simvastatin and simvastatin- ezetimibe all could improve the neurological function and attenuate the endothelial inflammatory response after spinal cord injury in rat.
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A review of the pertinent literature on the relation of erythropoietin production to the presence of renal neoplasm suggests that erythropoietin may be produced either directly by the tumor or indirectly by its physical effect on the adjoining normal renal tissue. The most commonly found tumors which are associated with elevated levels of serum and urinary erythropoietin are the hypernephromas. However, the presence of erythropoietin and an associated erythrocytosis even here occurs only relatively infrequently. ⋯ In some patients with Wilms' tumor, erythropoietin blood levels may also be increased; however, erythrocytosis in these patients is not a characteristic feature. Other renal tumors rarely produce erythrocytosis and presumably no erythropoietin. Possible explanations for the production of erythropoietin by renal tumors are discussed.
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Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci. · Jan 2004
Comparative StudyEffect of protein on hemoglobin and hematocrit assays with a conductivity-based point-of-care testing device: comparison with optical methods.
Point-of-care testing (POCT) for blood hemoglobin and hematocrit (H/H) levels provides rapid patient assessment including the need for transfusion. Conductivity-based methods of blood H/H determinations can be influenced by plasma protein concentration. To assess this factor, we measured H/H levels at varying protein concentrations using two POCT instruments: iSTAT-1 (conductivity method) and Hemocue (optical method). ⋯ The H/H results obtained with the iSTAT-1 instrument gave slightly less correlation with those of the GenS analyzer (r = 0.978 - 0.980) over this protein range. However, the iSTAT-1 results were generally lower than the GenS results, with discrepancies up to 2 g/dL for hemoglobin values and up to 4% for hematocrits at the lowest protein concentration. Therefore, it is recommended that H/H testing in patients with suspected hypoproteinemia or substantial hemodilution should be tested with a non-conductivity-based method.
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Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci. · Jan 2012
Case ReportsSLC22A5 mutations in a patient with systemic primary carnitine deficiency: the first Korean case confirmed by biochemical and molecular investigation.
Systemic primary carnitine deficiency (CDSP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that presents episodic periods of hypoketotic hypoglycemia. The main symptoms of CDSP are skeletal and cardiac myopathy. CDSP is caused by a defect in plasma membrane uptake of carnitine, ultimately caused by the SLC22A5 gene. ⋯ The patient was treated with L-carnitine to reach a normal free carnitine level and has remained asymptomatic up to the current age of 21 months. The plasma free carnitine level normalized to 66.6 μmol/L at 4 weeks after treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a CDSP patient confirmed by molecular genetic investigation.
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Ann. Clin. Lab. Sci. · May 1989
ReviewVon Willebrand factor and von Willebrand's disease: a complex protein and a complex disease.
Von Willebrand factor is a complex protein which is important in several ways for normal hemostasis. Von Willebrand's disease results when there is either a quantitative or qualitative disorder of von Willebrand factor. In this review, the structure and function of von Willebrand factor are discussed. Additionally, the current laboratory and clinical classification of von Willebrand's disease and closely related variants are outlined.