Clinical biochemistry
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Clinical biochemistry · May 2016
Comparative StudyThe association between vitamin D and C-reactive protein levels in patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases.
A direct, inverse correlation between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) vitamin D) levels and C-reactive protein (CRP), a sensitive biomarker for inflammation, was found in some, but not all, studies. These effects were seen in healthy subjects as well as in some inflammatory diseases. ⋯ Our study shows an inverse correlation between 25(OH) vitamin D and CRP in a large patient cohort but more importantly shows that this effect is more pronounced in patients with inflammatory diseases compared to patients with non-inflammatory diseases.
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Clinical biochemistry · Feb 2016
Comparative StudyComparison of the Liaison® Calprotectin kit with a well established point of care test (Quantum Blue - Bühlmann-Alere®) in terms of analytical performances and ability to detect relapses amongst a Crohn population in follow-up.
Although colonoscopy associated with histopathological sampling remains the gold standard in the diagnostic and follow-up of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), calprotectin is becoming an essential biomarker in gastroenterology. The aim of this work is to compare a newly developed kit (Liaison® Calprotectin - Diasorin®) and its two distinct extraction protocols (weighing and extraction device protocol) with a well established point of care test (Quantum Blue® - Bühlmann-Alere®) in terms of analytical performances and ability to detect relapses amongst a Crohn's population in follow-up. ⋯ Although all three methods correlated well and had relatively good NPV in terms of detecting relapses amongst a Crohn's population in follow-up, the lack of any international standard is the origin of different optimal cut-offs between the three procedures.
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Clinical biochemistry · Feb 2016
A threshold for concern? C-reactive protein levels following operatively managed neck of femur fractures can detect infectious complications with a simple formula.
C-reactive protein (CRP) rises in response to multiple stimuli, including surgical procedures and infections. Deviations from the predicted CRP response to a given procedure may be an early indication of a postoperative complication. ⋯ Following operatively managed neck of femur fractures, a CRP value in excess of the threshold defined by the formula 500/d may indicate the presence of a postoperative complication and defines a group with increased mortality. In this context, a prompt wound review and septic screen could promote the early detection and management of infectious postoperative complications.
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Clinical biochemistry · Jan 2016
Utility of serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in severity assessment of community-acquired pneumonia in children.
Although the importance of serum Procalcitonin (PCT) levels at diagnosis is well established in adult Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP), its use remains controversial in pediatric CAP. The aim of our study is to investigate the role of PCT and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in the assessment of pediatric CAP severity defined by the extent of consolidation on chest X-rays and the presence of pleural effusion. In this particular setting, no clinical severity score is available at present and chest X-ray, although important for diagnosis confirmation, is not recommended as routine test. ⋯ Our findings revealed that PCT is correlated to the main inflammatory markers in children with CAP. CRP, unlike PCT, is able to predict the extent of chest X-ray infiltration and ultimately the severity of the disease confirming its usefulness in the management of pneumonia
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Clinical biochemistry · Dec 2015
Analytical performance of the Abaxis Piccolo Xpress® point of care analyzer in whole blood, serum, and plasma.
To examine the analytical performance of 14 comprehensive metabolic panel analytes on the Abaxis Piccolo Xpress® Point of Care analyzer in serum, plasma, and whole blood. ⋯ The Piccolo Xpress® allows for the delivery of CMP results in a footprint small enough to be stored in a biological safety cabinet, while providing satisfactory performance for the majority of analytes.