Evaluating the complement C1q levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis patients: Could it serve as a valuable marker in clinical practice?

Immunohistochemical studies have identified complement component C1q in MS lesions. We aimed to compare serum (sC1q) and CSF (csfC1q) levels in a large cohort of MS patients (pwMS) (n = 222) with those of healthy controls (HC, n = 52), individuals with other immune (IND, n = 14), and non-immune neurological disorders (nIND, n = 15), and to analyze their correlation with other biomarkers. pwMS were divided into three series based on their origin.

Utility of the Biomarker CA125 in the Diagnosis of Cellular Rejection in Allogeneic Heart Transplantation.

Background: To analyze the relationship of the antigen carbohydrate 125 (CA125) biomarker with the cellular rejection of the heart graft during the first year after transplantation.

Methods: Retrospective study of consecutive heart transplant (HTx) patients for 1.5 years.

Development, Implementation and Assessment of Molecular Diagnostics by Next Generation Sequencing in Personalized Treatment of Cancer: Experience of a Public Reference Healthcare Hospital.

The establishment of precision medicine in cancer patients requires the study of several biomarkers. Single-gene testing approaches are limited by sample availability and turnaround time. Next generation sequencing (NGS) provides an alternative for detecting genetic alterations in several genes with low sample requirements.

IgG subclasses quantitation: Analytical performance of The Binding Site SPA® human assay and comparison with Siemens BNII® assay.

Objectives: Accurate evaluation of analyzers is highly recommended before these devices are broadly introduced for routine testing. Concerning quantification of IgG subclasses (IgGSc), standardization has not yet been reached and thus different assays might lead to different results. Here we report the analytical performances of The Binding Site (TBS) SPA® human IgGSc assay and the concordance with the Siemens BNII® human IgGSc assay.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, ascitic and pleural body fluids evaluation with the Mindray BC-6800 hematology analyzer.

Background: Accurate evaluation of hematology analyzers is recommended before these devices can be broadly introduced for the routine testing of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), ascitic, and pleural fluids.

Methods: We evaluated the performance of Mindray BC-6800 for white blood cell (WBC) and differential cell count in 50 CAPD, 60 ascitic and 40 pleural compared with manual microscopy. Within-run precision, limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), limit of quantitation (LoQ), and carryover were assessed.

Inflammatory markers and Lp(a) levels as cardiovascular risk factors in androgenetic alopecia.

It is not well-established whether patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) show a higher cardiovascular risk and higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS). Therefore, we aimed to analyze the cardiovascular risk and the prevalence of MS by means of a case-control study. We determined lipidic, inflammatory, hormonal and insulin resistance parameters with conventional laboratory methods in 50 male early-onset AGA patients and 50 controls.

Association of metabolic syndrome and its components with hyperuricemia in a Mediterranean population.

Several studies have found an association between hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome (MS), although there are discrepancies as to which MS components play a pivotal role in this association. We aimed to investigate the association between serum uric acid (SUA) levels and MS in a Mediterranean population (eastern Spain). We performed a case-control study of 71 patients with MS and 122 healthy controls.

Red blood cell distribution width is not related with inflammatory parameters in morbidly obese patients.

Objective: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a hematological parameter that has been studied in several clinical settings and has been found to be related to both anemia and inflammatory status. As obesity is related to increased inflammatory pattern, we aimed to analyze the RDW in this setting.

Methods: We determined hematological and inflammatory parameters in morbidly obese patients before bariatric surgery (n=142) and normo-weight controls (n=144).

Haematological, biochemical and inflammatory parameters in inactive Behçet's disease. Its association with red blood cell distribution width.

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been shown to be associated with disease activity in several inflammatory disorders. However only one study to show this has been conducted in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). The aim of the present study was to analyse the association of RDW with BD and its main complications; i.

Rheological blood behavior is not only influenced by cardiovascular risk factors but also by aging itself. Research into 927 healthy Spanish Mediterranean subjects.

It is not well-established whether the alterations that the hemorheological profile undergoes with aging are an effect of concomitant cardiovascular risk factors or are due to age itself. To clarify this issue, we investigated the effect of age on blood rheology in a population of 927 healthy subjects from eastern Spain aged between 16-85 years, divided into four age groups (<30, 30-44, 45-50, ≥60 years) with and without cardiovascular risk factors. We determined blood viscosity, corrected blood viscosity (BVc), plasma viscosity (PV), erythrocyte aggregation (EA), erythrocyte deformability (EEI60) and fibrinogen, along with glucose and plasma lipids.

Homocysteine levels in morbidly obese patients: its association with waist circumference and insulin resistance.

The association between morbid obesity and hyperhomocysteinemia (HH) remains controversial and the nature of this relationship needs to be clarified as several metabolic, lipidic, inflammatory and anthropometric alterations that accompany morbid obesity may be involved. In 66 morbidly obese patients, 47 women and 19 men aged 41 ± 12 years and 66 normo-weight subjects, 43 women and 23 men, aged 45 ± 11 years, we determined homocysteine (Hcy) levels along with lipidic, anthropometric, inflammatory and insulin resistance markers. In addition, we investigated the effect of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and its components on Hcy levels.

Association between hemorheological alterations and metabolic syndrome.

The contribution of hemorheological alterations in the prothrombotic condition in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) remains a question of debate. We aimed to determine the association between MS and hemorheological parameters by means of a case-control study in 61 MS patients and 89 controls without MS. We determined blood viscosity at 230 s(-1) (Brookfield DVIII viscosimeter); plasma viscosity (Fresenius capillary plasma viscosimeter); erythrocyte aggregation at stasis and 3 s(-1) (MA-1 erythrocyte aggregometer); erythrocyte deformability (Rheodyn SSD at shear stresses of 12, 30 and 60 Pascals) and fibrinogen, along with anthropometric, lipidic and inflammatory parameters.

Regional variations in test requiring patterns of general practitioners in Spain.

Objective: To analyze the requesting patterns for a range of laboratory tests ordered in 2009 from eight laboratories providing services to eight health areas, using appropriate indicators.

Design: Indicators measured every test request per 1,000 inhabitants, and indicators that measured the number of tests per related test requested by general practitioners were calculated. The savings generated, if each Health Care Department achieved the appropriate indicator standard, were also calculated.

Metabolic alterations in morbid obesity. Influence on the haemorheological profile.

There are few studies on haemorheological disturbances in morbidly obese patients. The role played by the metabolic syndrome on the rheological profile of morbidly obese subjects has not yet been established, and it is not clear whether morbidly obese, but "metabolically healthy", show rheological alterations. We aimed to determine the whole rheological profile in 136 morbidly obese patients and 136 normo-weight volunteers, along with plasma lipids, inflammatory and insulin resistance parameters.

Rheological red blood cell behaviour in minor α-thalassaemia carriers.

Although several studies have been published regarding rheological behaviour of red blood cells in beta and delta-beta thalassaemia traits, little information about erythrocyte deformability in alpha-thalassaemia carriers is available. We aimed to determine erythrocyte deformability in heterozygous (silent, -α/αα) and homozygous (minor alpha-thalassaemia, -α/-α) carriers of the alpha-thalassaemia trait for the alpha 3.7 deletion, the most common in our geographical area.

Evaluation of PSA testing by general practitioners: regional study in the autonomic Community of Valencia.

Objectives: The aim of the study is to compare the use of PSA testing among general practitioners (GPs).

Methods: The number of PSA tests ordered by general practitioners in the years 2008-2009 was examined in a cross-sectional study of nine health districts of Spain. The percentage of PSA ordered to men younger than 50 (PSA<50/PSAtotal) and 40 years (PSA<40/PSAtotal) was calculated.

[An evaluation of glycosylated hemoglobin requesting patterns in a primary care setting: a pilot experience in the Valencian Community (Spain)].

Objective: To assess the pattern of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) requests by clinicians from eight health departments by calculating indicators of demand appropriateness.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of the number of HbA(1c) requests by primary care clinics in 2008 and 2009. The indicator of demand appropriateness was the proportion of HbA(1c) values lower than 6.

Erythrocyte deformability in morbid obesity before bariatric surgery. Influence of abdominal obesity.

Although there are several studies dealing with erythrocyte deformability (ED) in obese patients, research on this topic in morbidly obese subjects is scarce. In these studies ED seems to be decreased, although the cause remains unknown. A case-control study in 76 morbid obese subjects (23 women and 53 men, aged 44 ± 13 years) and in 79 normal-weight controls (30 women and 49 men, aged 43 ± 13 years) was undertaken.

Yasmin and venous thromboembolism: new case reports.

It is not yet known whether Yasmin involves a higher thrombotic risk compared with other contraceptives. We present a serie of eight new cases of women who developed thrombotic events early after starting on Yasmin who were sent to our Thrombosis and Hemostasis Unit for a thrombophilia work-up in the last five years. Only two of them were heterozygous carriers of the prothrombin G20210A mutation and three were obese while none of them were smoker.