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Attitudes toward research and scholarly activities among medical laboratory science professionals in the United States Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-03 Melissa J Smith, Hon K Yuen, Lindsey Davenport-Landry, Julia O’Donnell, Ibsa Abdi, Floyd Josephat, Jie Gao
Background Medical laboratory science (MLS) professionals play a crucial role in health care teams. However, research culture in the profession has not been well developed or studied. It is necessary to characterize attitudes toward research and scholarly activities among MLS professionals and identify ways to promote research in the profession. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered through
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Rainbow phlebotomy collection and urine aliquots for emergency department add-on testing in the era of pandemic-driven supply shortages Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-03 Scott Potter, Joseph W Rudolf, Lauren N Pearson
Background Rainbow blood draws for add-on testing in the emergency department (ED) are a common practice at our institution. We sought to determine the prevalence of this practice among reference laboratory clients and characterize the impact of pandemic-driven supply shortages. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed 354 client laboratories to understand specimen collection practices in specific
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Differences in the levels of the appetite peptides ghrelin, peptide tyrosine tyrosine, and glucagon-like peptide-1 between obesity classes and lean controls Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Gülşah Alyar, Fatma Zühal Umudum
Objective This study was designed to compare basal concentrations of the gastrointestinal appetite modulators ghrelin, peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) between obesity classes and obesity classes and controls. Methods The study included 49 healthy controls with body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m² and 62 individuals with obesity with BMI ≥30 kg/m². Basal
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Laboratory stewardship perceptions and testing patterns at a pediatric tertiary care center Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Tejas S Desai, Ken Tang, Viveak Kaul, Ivan M Blasutig, Melanie Buba
Background Despite stewardship efforts, laboratory testing overuse persists across medicine. Objectives To understand laboratory stewardship perceptions and testing patterns at a tertiary care pediatric hospital so that we could identify potential improvement opportunities. Methods An electronic survey exploring laboratory stewardship was sent to all pediatric medicine resident and staff physicians
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Assessment of appropriate use of amylase and lipase testing in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis at an academic teaching hospital Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-22 Valerie Ryholt, Julie Soder, Janet Enderle, Rajkumar Rajendran
Objective Despite evidence-based guidelines stating that lipase alone should be used in the diagnosis of suspected acute pancreatitis, health care providers continue to order amylase or amylase and lipase together. The purpose of this study was to assess the utilization of appropriate laboratory testing related to the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Methods The study used a retrospective cross-sectional
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Cystic fibrosis–related diabetes screening at a large pediatric center Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-22 Anil K Chokkalla, Pamela Tuley, Miray Kurtca, Herda Ona, Fadel E Ruiz, Sridevi Devaraj
Objective Cystic Fibrosis Foundation guidelines recommend annual diabetes screening by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) starting at the age of 10 years. Adherence to these guidelines proves to be challenging, and the nationwide screening rates are still considered suboptimal. The aim of this study was to assess and improve the screening rates at our
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Autoantibodies in laryngeal cancer: detection and role as a biomarker Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Thashani Gunasekera, Umapriyatharshini Rajagopalan, Samith Herath, Sameera Samarakoon, Rizny Sakkaff, Roshan Jalaldeen
Objective Diagnostic role of autoantibodies (AAb) as serological biomarkers has not been specifically investigated in laryngeal cancer (LC) previously. The study investigates the presence of anti-LC AAbs and their potential as a biomarker for early diagnosis of LC, to improve patient outcome. Method Anti-LC AAb levels were investigated in LC patients (n = 30) and healthy individuals (n = 30) by indirect
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Exploratory analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 in management of patients with mild neurological symptoms undergoing head computed tomography scan at the emergency department: a pilot study from a Croatian tertiary hospital Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Ivana Lapić, Dunja Rogić, Ana Lončar Vrančić, Ivan Gornik
Background Diagnostic accuracy of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) in identification of intracranial abnormalities detected by computed tomography (CT) in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and in patients with mild neurological symptoms not caused by head trauma but suspected with a neurological disorder, was examined. Methods GFAP and UCH-L1 were
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Anti-E alloimmunization from a platelet apheresis transfusion in a 22-month-old male with acute myeloid leukemia Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Martin Burks, Christina S Warren, Thomas Lightfoot, Emmanuel A Fadeyi
RhD alloimmunization from platelet transfusions have been documented in the literature. However, non-RhD platelet alloimmunization is much less frequent and the risk for non-RhD alloimmunization from platelets is thought to be extremely low and most associated with buffy coat pooled platelets. A 22-month-old male with acute myeloid leukemia received 99 mL apheresis platelets for thrombocytopenia. Three
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The role of gastrin 17 and pepsinogen I:pepsinogen II ratio in pathological diagnosis and endoscopic selection in gastritis patients Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Qian Ye, Kai Xu, Yu Tong, Misheng Zhao
Background The noninvasive serum markers pepsinogen I (PGI), pepsinogen II (PGII), gastrin-17 (G17), and PGI:PGII ratio (PGR) have recently been proposed as a new tool for predicting various gastric pathologies. Methods A total of 83 gastritis patients confirmed by gastroscopy were enrolled, with 78 undergoing concurrent colonoscopies. The control group included 99 healthy subjects. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent
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Clinical management of a patient following a granulocyte transfusion from a donor positive for COVID-19 Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Jennifer S Woo, Lefan Zhuang, Ryan Jackson, Shirong Wang, Vaibhav Agrawal, Amanda Blackmon, Hoda Pourhassan, Shan Yuan
Granulocyte transfusions are indicated for patients with severe neutropenia and evidence of bacterial or fungal infection who are unresponsive to standard antimicrobial therapy. With a limited expiration time of 24 hours after collection, granulocytes are often transfused before results of infectious-disease screening tests are available, and before a transfusion service can perform a risk assessment
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Uncommon causes of hemoglobin E flags identified during measurement of hemoglobin A1c by ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Thomas Herb, Alexander S Taylor, Shih-Hon Li, David M Manthei, Carmen Gherasim
We present 3 cases of discordant results from screening hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measured by ion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) all due to various forms of interference and flagged by the instrument as “suspected hemoglobin E (HbE).” The first case was due to a rare hemoglobin variant, later confirmed to be hemoglobin Hoshida, the second due to “true” heterozygous HbE, and the
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Trend towards reduction of transfusion reactions using prestorage leukocyte-reduced and pooled whole blood–derived platelets and cost savings compared with poststorage whole blood–derived random platelets as evidenced by real-time hemovigilance Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Nick Park, Mayrin Correa Medina, Fernando Martinez, Marla Throssel, Amitava Dasgupta, Adriana Knopfelmacher, Colleen Villamin, Sandra Rivas, Nancy Tomczak, Saahith Garg, Lorraine Layton, Kimberly Klein
Background Due to chemotherapy-induced neutropenia or hematologic malignancies, immunocompromised cancer patients may have higher incidence of febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions compared with the general population and frequently require platelet transfusions. This quality improvement project compared the safety of transfusion using prestorage leukocyte-reduced and pooled whole blood–derived
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Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on accredited programs and graduates who sat for the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification examination: graduates’ perspective Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-24 Dana Duzan, Karen Fong, Vicki S Freeman, Nancy Goodyear, Teresa S Nadder, Amy Spiczka, Teresa Taff, Patricia Tanabe
Objective Students in health profession education programs were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at both didactic and clinical training levels. The purpose for this American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on graduates. This study represents the perspectives of laboratory professional graduates who
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Urine immunofixation electrophoresis and serum free light chain analyses benefit diagnosis of multiple myeloma in orthopedic patients with normal serum total proteins, creatinine, calcium, and hemoglobin Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-23 Zhongwei Jia, Jinxing Xia, Qiong Lu
Background A substantial number of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have bone destruction are initially admitted into the orthopedic service at the hospital. However, routine laboratory testing usually fails to identify these patients, thus delaying optimal therapy. Therefore, there is a clear medical need for early diagnosis of MM in these patients. Methods Between 2019 and 2021, 42 patients
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Whole-exome sequencing uncovers a novel EFEMP2 gene variant (c.C247T) associated with dominant nonsyndromic thoracic aortic aneurysm Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-19 Parham Sadeghipour, Marzieh Valuian, Serwa Ghasemi, Farnaz Rafiee, Maryam Pourirahim, Mehran Mahmoodian, Majid Maleki, Samira Kalayinia
Background Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a multifactorial disorder. Familial TAA, which is more clinically aggressive, is associated with a high risk of lethal dissection or rupture. Genetic evaluation can provide TAA patients with personalized treatment and help in predicting risk to family members. Objective The purpose of this investigation was to report a likely pathogenic variant in the EFEMP2
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Frequency of serological markers of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-01 Mariam Ghozzi, Amani Mankai, Sarra Melayah, Fatma Mechi, Zeineb Chedly, Abdelhalim Trabelsi, Ibtissem Ghedira
Background Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease that is frequently associated with other autoimmune conditions. Objective To perform serological screening for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with HT. Methods Our study included 88 consecutive serum specimens of patients with confirmed HT and 88 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects. All study participants were tested for anti-cyclic
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Resazurin microplate test method for rapid determination of colistin resistance in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii isolates Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-26 Kubra Yildirim, Ece Simsek, Orhan Kocak, Serhat Bozkurt, Ozlem Koyuncu Ozyurt, Ahmet Yilmaz Coban
Background Colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates are extremely important pathogens for hospital-acquired infections. Objective To investigate the effectiveness of the resazurin microplate assay (REMA) for the rapid determination of colistin resistance. Methods Susceptibility for colistin was investigated in vitro by the broth microdilution method (BMD) and the resazurin microplate assay
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Familial nonmedullary thyroid cancer: a case series in Iranian patients with a meta-review of case series Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-26 Zohreh Mohammadi Zaniani, Mehrdad Zeinalian, Mohammad Amin Tabatabaiefar
Background Nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) comprises approximately 90% of all thyroid cancers, and about 3% to 9% of NMTC cases have a familial origin. Familial NMTC (FNMTC) in the absence of a documented familial cancer syndrome such as Cowden syndrome is characterized by the occurrence of thyroid cancer of follicular cell origin in 2 or more first-degree relatives. Methods Whole-exome sequencing
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Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on accredited programs and graduates who sat for the American Society for Clinical Pathology-Board of Certification Examination: program directors' perspective. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Dana Duzan,Karen Fong,Vicki S Freeman,Nancy Goodyear,Teresa S Nadder,Amy Spiczka,Teresa Taff,Patricia Tanabe
OBJECTIVE Health professions education programs were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at clinical and didactic training levels. The purpose for this American Society for Clinical Pathology-Board of Certification (BOC) study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the graduates who sat for BOC certification in their respective professional disciplines from the perspective of
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Evusheld, a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-directed attachment inhibitor, appears in serum protein electrophoresis and immunofixation: a case study. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Sumit K Shah,Hoda A Hagrass
Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and immunofixation (IFE) assays are commonly used to diagnose and monitor patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Identifying analytical interferences in SPE and IFE caused by therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (tmAbs) can be challenging. Here we report the case of a 72-year-old male with a long history of relapsed immunoglobulin (Ig)G kappa MM. A follow-up SPE showed
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Correction to: A meta-analysis of the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF in diagnosing intestinal tuberculosis. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02
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Utilization of an immunochromatographic lateral flow assay for rapid detection of carbapenemase production in gram negative bacilli. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Emily Sullivan,Maria D Macias Jimenez,Nicholas M Moore
BACKGROUND Rapid detection of carbapenemase production in gram negative bacilli has important treatment considerations. OBJECTIVE We evaluated a lateral flow assay (LFA) for carbapenemase production compared with molecular detection of 5 (blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaOXA-48) carbapenemase genes. METHODS A total of 218 carbapenem nonsusceptible strains, including species of Enterobacterales
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A novel internal training program using Kern's 6-step approach to curriculum development for medical laboratory scientists training to be international quality assurance/quality control coordinators. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Anne Leach,Josephine Shim,Kristin Murphy,Mandana Godard,Felix Ortiz,Mark Swartz,Lori J Sokoll
OBJECTIVE Patient Safety Monitoring in International Laboratories (pSMILE) is a resource ensuring quality testing in clinical laboratories performing National Institutes of Health-funded HIV research requiring specific staff training. We demonstrate the development of an online asynchronous training model using Kern's 6-step approach to support pSMILE functions. METHODS An existing curriculum was revamped
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Leading medical laboratory professionals toward change readiness: a correlational study Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Taryn L Waraksa-Deutsch
Background To remain effective in the dynamic health care landscape, the laboratory must embrace the continuous improvement mindset to support a culture of change, and leadership must facilitate the change process, mitigating perceived barriers of change readiness in followers. Methods This quantitative study was designed to determine whether there is an association between leadership style (Multifactor
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An observational association study between maternal homocysteine and pregnancy complications or perinatal outcomes with established trimester-specific reference intervals in pregnant women. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-20 Guodong Tang,Shaofei Su,Yifan Lu,Lanlan Meng,Lican Han,Zhengwen Xu,Lin Liu,Jiazi Zeng,Lu Chen,Jing Wang,Yue Zhang,Yanhong Zhai,Zheng Cao
BACKGROUND Elevated homocysteine (Hcy) level during pregnancy is positively associated with various gestational-specific diseases. However, there is no uniform standard for the reference interval (RI) of Hcy in pregnancy. METHODS From January 2017 to January 2019, 14,530 singleton pregnant women registered at our institute were included for the establishment of trimester-specific RIs of Hcy with both
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Impact of anti-squamous cell carcinoma antigen antibodies on serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen levels measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay and chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-14 Chinami Oyabu,Itsuko Sato,Mari Yamamoto,Takamitsu Imanishi,Sho Sendo,Yoshihiko Yano
OBJECTIVE The serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA) level is a well-known tumor marker for squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, we examined the impact of immunoglobulin (Ig)-bound macromolecular SCCA on serum SCCA levels measured by 2 different methods. METHODS Seventy-five serum samples with an SCCA level >5.0 ng/mL as determined by a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) were also analyzed
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Predictors of mortality and transfusion requirements in venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-14 Jongmin Kim,Hye Ju Yeo,Woo Hyun Cho,Hyun-Ji Lee
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of variables, including thrombocytopenia and the amount of platelet transfusion, for predicting survival in venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) recipients. Additionally, we aimed to identify the predictors of increased transfusion requirement during venoarterial ECMO support. METHODS All patients who received
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Sixty years of conjecture over a urinary biomarker: a step closer to understanding the proposed link between anxiety and urinary pyrroles. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 Angela Sherwin,Ian C Shaw
OBJECTIVE For over 60 years there has been conjecture about the identity of an Ehrlich's test positive pyrrole (Mauve Factor) reputed to be a biomarker for psychological disorders, including anxiety. We reviewed studies that attempt to identify Mauve Factor and subjected authentic standards of the 2 main candidates, kryptopyrrole and hydroxypyrrole, to the Ehrlich's reaction. METHODS Modified Ehrlich's
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Utility of a microRNA panel in diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis C-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Abeer Ahmed ALrefai,Sara Kamal Rizk,Ahmed Kamal Khamis,Zeinab A Kasemy,Mona Salah Eldin Habieb
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and the leading cause of cancer mortality. Various studies have linked dysregulated microRNA expression to liver cancers, but those related to viral hepatitis-related HCC are limited. METHODS We investigated the diagnostic and prognostic roles of circulating miR-331-3p, miR-23b-3p, and miR-3194-5p in EDTA-treated
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Proteomic biomarker evaluation using antibody microarrays: association between analytical methods such as microarray and ELISA. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Nadezhda G Gumanova,Natalya L Bogdanova,Victoria A Metelskaya
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the associations between analytical methods, such as microarray and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); expedient cutoffs; and the lowest possible number of microarrays in analysis for target biomarker estimation in case-control studies. METHODS This study included 321 serum specimens, gathered in different case-control studies to test for atherosclerosis and atrial fibrillation
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Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury Caused by HLA-II Antibodies: A Case Report. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-05 Xinxin Hao,Jue Wang,Tiegang Li,Qiushi Wang
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the etiology of a case of suspected transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) occurring after blood transfusion. METHODS The clinical symptoms, signs, imaging examinations, and laboratory test results of a patient with suspected TRALI after blood transfusion were retrospectively analyzed, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping
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The Importance of Medical Laboratory Scientists and the Number of Doctoral Scientists that Began Their Career by Working on the Front Lines of Laboratory Medicine. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-05 Rl Sautter,Dc Halstead
BACKGROUND Due to dwindling numbers of medical laboratory scientists (MLS), we are faced with staffing issues due to lack of visibility, recognition, low wages, and perceived lack of opportunities for upward career mobility. A brief survey of doctoral-level clinical microbiologists showed a significant number were certified, worked "the bench," and used this experience as a steppingstone to become
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A comparative study on outcomes of fasting vs postprandial thyroid function tests among pregnant mothers in a tertiary care setting in Sri Lanka. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-02 Shifaniya Banu Mohideen,Thamara Herath,Supun Manathunga
OBJECTIVE Accurate estimation of serum thyrotropin (TSH) is crucial in the diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in pregnancy. We aimed to investigate whether there are significant differences between fasting and nonfasting thyroid function tests (TFTs) among pregnant mothers. METHODS We studied 100 pregnant mothers with previously unknown thyroid dysfunction. An equal number of participants
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Study of the diagnostic efficiency of anti-ZnT8 autoantibodies for type 1 diabetes in pediatric patients. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-02 Sandra Fuentes-Cantero,Concepción González-Rodríguez,Carmen Rodríguez-Chacón,Raquel Galvan-Toribio,Joaquín Hermosín-Escudero,Antonio Pérez-Pérez,Antonio León-Justel
OBJECTIVE Zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies (ZNt8A) are 1 of the 4 main autoantibodies used for the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D), with glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA), islet antigen-2 autoantibodies (IA-2A), and insulin autoantibodies (IAA). The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of these autoantibodies for the diagnosis of T1D in pediatric patients
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Frequency of antithyroid antibodies in patients with primary biliary cholangitis Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Mariam Ghozzi, Amani Mankai, Zeineb Chedly, Ikram Mlika, Wiem Manoubi, Sarra Melayah, Ibtissem Ghedira
Objective Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease of liver that may be associated with other conditions, including autoimmune thyroid diseases. We aimed to investigate the frequency of anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPO-Ab), antithyroglobulin antibodies (TG-Ab), and anti–thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TSHR-Ab) in Tunisian patients with PBC. Methods Sera of 80 patients with PBC
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Retrospective comparison of false-positive result frequencies of 3 syphilis serology screening tests in pregnant and nonpregnant patients at an academic medical center in Appalachia Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Jianbo Yang, Danyel H Tacker, Sijin Wen, P Rocco LaSala
Objective This study retrospectively compared false-positive result frequencies of 3 syphilis serology screening tests and assessed whether false positivity was associated with pregnancy and age. Methods Results for 3 screening tests were retrieved from the laboratory database, including rapid plasma reagin (RPR) assay between October 2016 and September 2019, BioPlex 2200 Syphilis Total immunoassay
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Genetic analysis of TMPRSS6 catalytic domain variants in Mexican patients with iron treatment refractoriness. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-14 Rubiceli Hernández-Peña,Eric Jonathan Maciel-Cruz,Lourdes Del Carmen Rizo-De La Torre,Francisco Javier Perea-Díaz,Bertha Ibarra-Cortés
OBJECTIVE To identify the TMPRSS6 gene variants in Mexican patients with iron treatment refractoriness, to describe hematological and iron profile parameters, and to use bioinformatic prediction and protein modeling tools to assess a possible biological impact for the detected missense variants. METHODS Nineteen patients referred with iron treatment refractoriness were studied. Peripheral blood was
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Evaluating direct amplification from viral transport medium for SARS-CoV-2 detection, strain typing, and angiotensin-converting enzyme genotyping and expression assays Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-11 Kala F Schilter, Shivani Kapoor, Brandon A Smith, Ayofemi Saleem, Samantha J Scott, Dana Batchelor, Kathryn A Stoll, Qian Nie, Honey V Reddi
Objective The aim of this study was to compare the performance of direct amplification of viral nucleic acid from transport medium to extracted nucleic acid for polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing, and genotyping applications. Methods XpressAmp lysate and extracted total nucleic acid from viral transport medium containing nasopharyngeal specimens were evaluated across different molecular applications
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Single laboratory evaluation of umbilical cord blood units processing methodologies for banking Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-11 Francisco F dos Santos, Letícia Nunes, Cátia Martins, Margaret Ann Smith, Carla Cardoso
Objective To compare the efficiency of 3 different processing methods (Sepax, AutoXpress [AXP], and manual processing with hydroxyethyl starch [HES] sedimentation) used at Stemlab during a 10-year period. Methods Historical data were compiled and the analytical results obtained for the 3 different methods were compared. Results The manual processing (HES) method yielded the highest level of total nucleated
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Diagnostic value of pleural effusion Krebs von den Lungen-6 in malignant pleural effusion of patients with non–small cell lung cancer Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-11 Junjun Wang, Liqun Ling, Shuhui Chen, Lunan Chou, Yumin Wang, Lijuan Hu
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic potential of Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) in differentiating between malignant pleural effusion (MPE) induced by non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and benign pleural effusion (BPE). Methods We collected 143 pleural effusion samples from August 2018 to March 2021. The samples included 91 cases of MPE and 52 cases of BPE. The KL-6 and
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Clinical application of a real-time polymerase chain reaction test for CYP2C19 genotyping based on genotype distribution in a healthy Korean population Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-06 Kuenyoul Park, Soo Jin Yoo
Objective With the recent reports of additional alleles of the CYP2C19 gene with decreased or no function, the clinical utility of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based testing that detects only a small number of variant targets needs to be evaluated. Method We retrospectively reviewed 7-year data for real-time PCR test records from a single hospital and analyzed CYP2C19 genotypes from publicly
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A meta-analysis of the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF in diagnosing intestinal tuberculosis Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-02 Yuan-Lin Ding, Rui-Chao Yan, Hao-Kai Chen, Guo Xu-Guang
Objective A detection method with high efficiency and accuracy is urgently needed in clinical work. The purpose of our study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay for intestinal tuberculosis (ITB). Methods We searched PubMed and 4 other databases from their establishment to July 19, 2022, for published essays of diagnostic performance in which Xpert MTB/RIF was used to
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The exclusion of anti-D alloantibody in a suspected anti-G antibody in a pregnant 28-year-old Odiya Indian woman Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Kella Nivedita, Somnath Mukherjee, Satya Prakash, Ansuman Sahu, Debasish Mishra
The Rh-D negative pregnancy is commonly associated with alloimmunization against D-antigen. It can be prevented by anti-D prophylaxis in pregnant patients with negative results on antibody screening. Hence, it is essential to exclude alloantibody-D in the presence of multiple alloantibodies. Anti-G antibody is formed after exposure to G antigen in neonate RBCs. Blood-group discrepancy was noted in
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Approaches to nonlinear curve fitting in laboratory medicine Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Peter A C McPherson
Nonlinear curve fitting is an important process in laboratory medicine, particularly with the increased use of highly sensitive antibody-based assays. Although the process is often automated in commercially available software, it is important that clinical scientists and physicians recognize the limitations of the various approaches used and are able to select the most appropriate model. This article
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Long-term alliance for pathology equipment and technology acquisition: a paradigm shift for improved quality and efficiency. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-28 Gurmukh Singh,Kellie A Vinson,Kari Jones,Brandy Gunsolus,Jeremy Keever,Brooks A Keel
OBJECTIVE Personnel costs are the largest single budget item in the clinical laboratory, other major expenses being equipment, analyzers, blood and blood components, and cost of day-to-day consumables. This report describes our experience with developing a long-term relationship with a single major vendor as a paradigm shift from the traditional multiple vendors, multiple contracts, and recurrent extended
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A comprehensive assessment of redox balance in small for gestational age newborns and their mothers. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-27 Almila Senat,Emre Erdem Tas,Hasan Eroglu,Ceylan Bal,Ayse Filiz Yavuz,Aykan Yucel,Ozcan Erel,Arzu Ersoz
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess oxidative stress in small for gestational age (SGA) newborns and their mothers by evaluating intra- and extracellular thiol homeostasis and the quantification of major oxidants and antioxidants. METHODS A total of 75 mothers and their 75 newborns (43 SGA) were enrolled in this study. Thiol-disulfide homeostasis, serum myeloperoxidase, catalase, total
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Insulin receptor substrate 2 gene Gly1057Asp polymorphism is a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-23 Shadi Nouri, Touraj Mahmoudi, Farzaneh Hojjati, Zeinab Nourmohammadi Najafabadi, Radmehr Shafiee, Shiva Sayedsalehi, Atefeh Dehghanitafti, Abbas Ardalani, Kiarash Kohansal, Gholamreza Rezamand, Asadollah Asadi, Hossein Nobakht, Reza Dabiri, Hamid Farahani, Seidamir Pasha Tabaeian, Mohammad Reza Zali
Objective Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is an emerging global chronic liver disease, has a close association with insulin resistance. We aimed to determine whether the Gly1057Asp (rs1805097) polymorphism of the insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) gene is associated with NAFLD. Methods Using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method, 135 patients
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Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction to measure heteroplasmic m.3243A>G mitochondrial mutations Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-21 Shinya Matsumoto, Takeshi Uchiumi, Nozomi Noda, Yasushi Ueyanagi, Taeko Hotta, Dongchon Kang
Objective Different mitochondrial DNA genotypes can coexist in a cell population as well as in a single cell, a condition known as heteroplasmy. Here, we accurately determined the heteroplasmy levels of the m.3243A>G mutation, which is the most frequently identified mutation in patients with mitochondrial diseases, using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). Methods The m.3243A>G heteroplasmy
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A 6-year-old boy with an atypical liver neoplasm harboring a novel RPS6KA3 variant Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-21 Daniel Bustamante, Jude Abadie
Pediatric hepatoblastoma (HBL) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are primary liver malignant neoplasms with 5-year event-free survival of >80% and <30%, respectively. In these patients, α-fetoprotein levels can guide surgical intervention and monitor disease progression. Although histology and immunohistochemical stains support diagnosis, genetic testing can elucidate mechanisms that drive pathogenesis
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Blood usage and wastage at an academic teaching hospital before the initial wave of COVID-19 and during and after its quarantine periods Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-21 Amber Nguyen, Sarah Burnett-Greenup, Diana Riddle, Janet Enderle, Carol Carman, Rajkumar Rajendran
Background Transfusion services aim to maintain sufficient blood inventory to support patients, even with challenges introduced by COVID-19. Objectives To review blood usage and wastage before, during, and after COVID-19 surges, and to evaluate effects on inventory. Methods In a retrospective review, we evaluated the association between time periods corresponding to the initial wave of COVID-19 (pre–COVID-19
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The identification of diurnal variations on circulating immune cells by finger prick blood sampling in small sample sizes: a pilot study Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-21 Dayna Bushell, Jonathan Kah Huat Tan, Jessica Smith, Christian Moro
Objective There are well-described impacts of biological rhythms on human physiology. With the increasing push for routine blood tests for preventative medical care and clinical and physiological research, optimizing effectiveness is paramount. This study aimed to determine whether it is feasible to assess diurnal variations of peripheral lymphocyte prevalence using finger prick blood in a small sample
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Molecular and phenotypical findings of a novel de novo SYNGAP1 gene variant in an 11-year-old Iranian boy with intellectual disability Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-19 Atefeh Mir, Yongjun Song, Hane Lee, Zakiye Nadeali, Fahimeh Akbarian, Mohammad Amin Tabatabaiefar
Objective Intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) type 5 is an autosomal dominant (AD) disorder and is characterized by intellectual disability (ID), psychomotor developmental delay, variable autism phenotypes, microcephaly, and seizure. IDD can be caused by mutations in the SYNGAP1 gene, which encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein. This study revealed a novel de novo nonsense variant in SYNGAP1
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Plasmablastic transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a review of literature and report on 2 cases Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-14 Anurag Khanna, Bradley R Drumheller, George Deeb, Ethan Wade Tolbert, Saja Asakrah
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is the most common leukemia in adults in Western countries. Transformation of CLL/SLL to plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is exceedingly rare and often has an extremely poor response to treatment. A thorough molecular workup may help in determining clonality-relatedness and prognosis. We describe two cases of CLL/SLL that transformed into
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A novel high-resolution melting analysis strategy for detecting cystic fibrosis-causing variants. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-07 Gerardo Raúl Díez Rodríguez,Juan Emilio Figueredo Lago,Anny Armas Cayarga,Yaimé Josefina González González,Iria García de la Rosa,Teresa Collazo Mesa,Ixchel López Reyes,Yulaimy Batista Lozada,Fidel Ramón Rodríguez Calá,Juan Bautista García Sánchez
Cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal recessive disease, is caused by variants in both alleles of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. A new assay based on allele-specific polymerase chain reaction and high-resolution melting analysis was developed for the detection of 18 CF-causing CFTR variants previously identified in Cuba and Latin America. The assay is also useful for zygosity
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Reassessment of Critical Anti-D Antibody Titer in RhD Alloimmunized Antenatal Women. Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-05 Bharat Singh,Rajendra Chaudhary,Rahul Katharia
OBJECTIVE In the setting of RhD-alloimmunized pregnancy, laboratory variations in critical titer (CT) of anti-D antibody may result in needless referrals or a compromised fetal outcome. METHODS RhD-alloimmunized pregnant women were included. Fetal outcome was categorized based on cord hemoglobin and interventions required. For 3 commonly used CTs of 8, 16, and 32, sensitivity and specificity as well
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Clinical impacts of the rapid diagnostic method on positive blood cultures Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-24 Ya-Wen Tsai, Bin Zhang, Hsiu-Yin Chou, Hung-Jui Chen, Yu-Chi Hsu, Yow-Ling Shiue
Objective This study aimed to evaluate the impact of short-term incubation (STI) protocol on clinical outcomes of bloodstream infection (BSI) patients. Methods A total of 1363 positive blood culture records from January 2019 to December 2021 were included. The main clinical outcomes included pathogen identification turnaround time (TAT), antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) TAT, and length of
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Nitrate Reductase Assay for Rapid Determination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-24 Kubra Yildirim, Cemilenur Atas, Esra Tanyel Akcit, Majda Licina, Ozlem Koyuncu Ozyurt, Mehmet Akif Gun, Ece Simsek, Ahmet Yilmaz Coban
Objective To evaluate the performance of nitrate reductase assay (NRA), a rapid, colorimetric method for the determination of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained from the culture collection of the Akdeniz University Hospital Central Laboratory, Antalya, Türkiye. Materials and Methods Identification for all 290 S aureus isolates at the species level was performed via matrix-assisted
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Relationship between the systemic immune-inflammatory index and the severity of acute bronchiolitis in children Lab Med. (IF 1.3) Pub Date : 2023-06-24 Ömer Furkan Kızılsoy, Muhammet Furkan Korkmaz, Gülsüm Elif Şenkan, Şefika Elmas Bozdemir, Merve Korkmaz
Objective Acute bronchiolitis (AB) is one of the most common respiratory diseases in early childhood and is still an important health problem worldwide. The systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) is thought to have potential to be a new-generation inflammatory biomarker. We sought to investigate the value of SII for severity assessment in children with AB. Methods A total of 74 AB patients were included