Rapid response to and long-term effectiveness of anti-CD20 antibody in conventional therapy resistant Graves' orbitopathy: A five-year follow-up study.

Abstract The aim of this investigations was to study the effectiveness of anti-CD20 antibody therapy in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) resistant to glucocorticoids. Five patients were entered in the study. The protocol required no improvement of orbital status after a recent course of glucocorticoids.

[Pneumatic tube system for transport of laboratory samples: preanalytical aspects].

Introduction: A considerable proportion of laboratory errors occurs in the preanalytical phase.

Aim: The aims of the authors were to study preanalytical errors in routine and emergency laboratory diagnostics in a regional clinical laboratory and evaluate the effect of the pneumatic tube system on turnaround time and laboratory results.

Method: The ratio of preanalytical errors and reasons of test rejection were analysed.

Evaluation of the thyroid function of healthy pregnant women by five different hormone assays.

A normal function of the thyroid gland during pregnancy is essential. Any change can affect both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Thyroid hormones play a crucial role in the brain development of the fetus, thus proper maternal free thyroid hormone levels are important especially during the first trimester.

["Turnaround time": a new parameter for the characterization of the overall efficacy of laboratory diagnostic processes].

Introduction: The authors developed a special computer-aided routine in their laboratory for the calculation of "turnaround time" which parameter is suitable for the characterization of the overall efficacy of laboratory diagnostic processes. The turnaround time is defined as the interval between the arrival time of a sample in the laboratory and the time of clinical validation. It characterizes the efficacy of the result generation process very well, and therefore, is considered as an important parameter of laboratory quality control.