1,721,088 research outputs found
Association of inflammation with anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease not requiring chronic dialysis.
No full textBackground. Anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has substantial public health importance. However, the association of haemoglobin concentrations with inflammation in the setting of decreased kidney function is not well established. Methods. We analysed cross-sectional data from 7389 outpatient adults, who were referred by general practitioners for routine blood testing between June 2006 and June 2007. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated by the abbreviated Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with haemoglobin concentrations across eGFR categories as the main outcome. Results. Of the 7389 participants included in the analytic cohort 2221 (30.1%) participants had eGFR ≥90 mL/min/m2, 4310 (58.3%) 60-89 mL/min/m2 and 858 (11.6%) <60 mL/min/m2. There were significant, graded, increases in high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and haemoglobin concentrations across eGFR categories independent of age, gender, plasma glucose and lipids (P < 0.0001 for trends). In the multivariable regression analysis, increased hs-CRP concentrations were independently associated with lower haemoglobin concentrations at different stages of eGFR (P < 0.0001 for all). Other independent predictors of lower haemoglobin were older age, female gender and lower eGFR. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that increased plasma hs-CRP concentrations are independently associated with anaemia in the setting of decreased kidney function in a large cohort of unselected adult outpatients. © The Author [2008]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved
Serine/threonine kinase 39 is a candidate gene for primary hypertension especially in women: Results from two cohort studies in Swedes
No full textBackground As recently pinpointed by a genome-wide association study the serine/threonine kinase 39 (STK39) is a candidate gene for hypertension. This kinase is strongly implicated in sodium reabsorption by the kidney through its modulating effect on furosemide-sensitive and thiazide-sensitive channels. The aim of our study was to test the effects of the STK39 rs35929607A > G polymorphism on blood pressure (BP) levels and the prevalence and incidence of hypertension in middle-aged Swedes participating in two urban-based surveys in Malmo (Sweden).Methods The rs35929607A > G polymorphism was genotyped in 5634 participants included in the cardiovascular cohort of the 'Malmo Diet and Cancer-cardiovascular arm' (MDC-CVA) study and successively in 17 894 participants of the 'Malmo Preventive Project' (MPP) both at baseline and at reinvestigation after a mean of 23 years. The effect of the same single nucleotide polymorphism on salt sensitivity was tested in 39 participants of the Salt Reduction to Avoid Hypertension study.Results Both before and after adjustment for covariates, the functional rs35929607A > G polymorphism was associated with higher SBP and DBP values in the MDC-CVA, but not in the MPP. In both surveys, the polymorphism was associated with hypertension prevalence; after adjustment using the autosomal-dominant model, the odds ratio for hypertension ranged between 1.077 (MPP at baseline) and 1.151 (MDC-CVA) with P-value less than 0.05. After stratification for sex, the results remained statistically significant in women, but not in men. Carriers of the G-allele displayed an increase in salt sensitivity.Conclusion Our results from two large cohort studies support previous evidence about the association of the STK39 rs35929607A > G variant with hypertension, especially in women. If further confirmed in successive studies, owing to its pivotal role in sodium reabsorption at the renal tubule level, STK39 might prove to be a suitable target for antihypertensive therapy. The greater effect of the STK39 rs35929607A > G polymorphism in women with respect to men deserves further investigation. J Hypertens 29:484-491 (C) 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
The role of the clinical laboratory in the early diagnosis of preeclampsia.,Il ruolo del laboratorio clinico nella diagnosi precoce di preeclampsia
No full textHypertensive pregnancy disorders include a large spectrum of conditions, including pre-existing chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia (PE) and eclampsia. In particular, PE is one of the most important causes of maternal morbidity and mortality and perinatal death, preterm birth, and delayed intrauterine growth. The studies support a pathogenetic model of insufficient placentation which results in a vicious circle clinically dominated by an increase in blood pressure and proteinuria in the first phase, and by the involvement of the central nervous system up to convulsions in the more advanced stages. A crucial aspect of patient management is therefore represented by the identification of biological markers measurable in maternal blood (circulating) useful in the diagnosis, prognostic stratification and monitoring. In particular, in recent years many resources have been used to identify a biophysical and biochemical screening test aimed at identifying women at greater risk of PE, but none of these tools when used alone has demonstrated a significant predictive value. Few biomarkers are currently used in clinical practice. The analysis of the literature suggests that angiogenic and anti-angiogenic molecules, in particular the fms-like-tyrosine-kinase receptor 1 and placental growth factor (sFlt-1/PlGF) ratio, can be considered the biomarkers with the best diagnostic performance in the second trimester of pregnancy. However, doubts remain about their use in clinical practice before the 20th gestational week. © 2021 Biomedia. All rights reserved
Latest update on the American Association of Clinical Chemistry guidelines for laboratory diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus
No full textLatest update on the American Association of Clinical Chemistry guidelines for laboratory diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus In this short document we propose an update on the latest AACC 2023 standards for the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes at the laboratory level. In particular we will focus on some recommendations expressed in relation to the measurement of blood glucose, both with laboratory methods and through systems for continuous blood glucose monitoring, on the measurement of glycated hemoglobin and other glycated proteins, in particular glycated albumin. Some statements relating to the diagnosis of gestational diabetes, the measurement of ketone bodies, autoantibodies and C-peptide will also be considered. Particular attention is given to the quantitative measurement of albumin in urine
Predicting cardiac outcomes.
No full textComment on: Capability of ischemia-modified albumin to predict serious cardiac outcomes in the short term among patients with potential acute coronary syndrome. [CMAJ. 2005
Relationship between serum vitamin D and inflammatory markers in the general population: comment on the article by Patel et al.
No full textStandards of practice and uniformity in references style
No full textAuthors are usually invited to follow the instructions to authors in scientific journals, because this section is likely to contain unique requirements, such as the references style requested. Authors not only must accurately check the instructions, but are also expected to verify references against the original documents before submitting the article, consuming a considerable amount of time. This aspect may contribute to the large number of references errors in scientific manuscripts, some of which would be prevented by introducing a more homogeneous and uniformed style. A variety of international, peer-reviewed journals currently requires a rather different style, especially for the numbers of authors to be cited, the placing of the year of publication, the style of the journal title. A broad implementation of reasonable standards of practice and consensus guidelines for the format of manuscript references should be promoted for an advantageous process for both the journals and the a..
Influence of two different buffered sodium citrate concentrations on coagulation testing.
No full textInfluence of stable, long-term treatment with phenobarbital on the activity of serum alanine aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase
No full textPhenobarbital, a long-acting barbiturate, is generally considered to be a fairly safe and effective drug; however, hepatotoxicity is an infrequent but potentially fatal adverse effect and there is little information on the serum activity of liver enzymes in patients on stable, long-term monotherapy. The serum activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) are measured along with phenobarbital as part of the routine biochemical measurement in 128 consecutive adult out-patients on stable, long-term phenobarbital treatment. The control population consists of 2468 consecutive out-patients matched for age and gender. The patients on long-term phenobarbital therapy had significantly higher serum acitivities of ALT (27 IU/L versus 23 IU/L, P<0.001) and GGT (79% IU/L versus 24 IU/L, P<0.001). The prevalence of subjects with abnormal GGT values, but not ALT, was signifacantly higher than that in the control population. No significant difference were observed in either the mean activity or the prevalence of abnormal values of ALT or GGT between patients with suboptimal and therapeutic concentrations of the drug. These results suggest that chronic phenobarbital therapy may be associated with a clinically significant elevation of serum GGT activity. If confirmed, a specific GGT reference range should be adopted. Moreover, in those patients presenting with high serum GGT activity, it would not be necessary to reduce the dosage, discontinue the drug or change to a different anti-epileptic medication
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