Mediterranean Diet Prior to Ischemic Stroke and Potential Circulating Mediators of Favorable Outcomes.

. A Mediterranean diet (MD) has been associated with neuroprotective effects. We aimed to assess the MD's association with stroke prognosis and the potential mediators involved.

Effects of IFIH1 rs1990760 variants on systemic inflammation and outcome in critically ill COVID-19 patients in an observational translational study.

Background: Variants in , a gene coding the cytoplasmatic RNA sensor MDA5, regulate the response to viral infections. We hypothesized that rs199076 variants would modulate host response and outcome after severe COVID-19.

Methods: Patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with confirmed COVID-19 were prospectively studied and rs1990760 variants determined.

Prenatal screening and diagnosis of genetic abnormalities: SEGO, SEQC, AEDP consensus recommendations.

In this paper, the scientific societies SEGO, SEQC and AEDP provide a series of consensus-based recommendations for prenatal screening and diagnosis of genetic abnormalities. A set of evaluation indicators are also proposed as a means to improve the quality of the biochemical, ultrasound, and genetic processes involved in prenatal screening and diagnosis of genetic anomalies. Some recommendations are also proposed in relation to invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures, more specifically regarding sample collection and genetic testing.

The subset of patients with acute heart failure able to secrete relaxin-2 at pregnancy concentrations could have a longer survival: a pilot study.

Objective: To investigate how many patients with acute heart failure (AHF) hypersecrete relaxin-2 concentrations similar to those of pregnant women and determine their long-term outcome.

Methods: In consecutive AHF patients relaxin-2 was quantified by ELISA sandwich method. Patients were divided into pregnancy-like group (PLG, relaxin-2 ≥ 500 pg/mL) and control group (CG, relaxin-2 < 500 pg/mL).

N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide and angiogenic biomarkers in the prognosis of adverse outcomes in women with suspected preeclampsia.

Background: This study compares the performance of the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 to placental growth factor (sFlt-1/PlGF) ratio and the cardiac biomarker N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the prediction of adverse outcomes in women with suspicion of PE.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on women admitted at triage with signs and/or symptoms of PE (n=340). Serum levels of sFlt-1, PlGF and NT-proBNP were determined by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics).

Interleukin-6 in cerebrospinal fluid as a biomarker of acute meningitis.

Background: Microbiological culture of cerebrospinal fluid is the gold standard to differentiate between aseptic and bacterial meningitis, but this method has low sensitivity. A fast and reliable new marker would be of interest in clinical practice.

Objective: Interleukin-6, secreted by T cells in response to meningeal pathogens and quickly delivered into cerebrospinal fluid, was evaluated as a marker of acute meningitis.

Role of vitamin D and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the development of early- and late-onset preeclampsia.

Background: The imbalanced production of placental biomarkers and vitamin D deficiency have been proposed as risk factors for the development of preeclampsia (PE). However, little is known about the relationship between them and their role in early- versus late-onset PE. The objectives were to assess the role of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio in the development of early- and late-onset PE; and to evaluate the relationship between 25(OH)D and the biomarkers.

Diagnosis of infection in critical care.

Sepsis is the primary cause of death in the intensive care unit. The prevention of sepsis complications requires an early and accurate diagnosis as well as the appropriate mon itoring. A deep knowledge of the immunologic basis of sepsis is essential to better understand the scope of incorporating a new marker into clinical practice.

New biomarkers in diagnosis of early onset preeclampsia and imminent delivery prognosis.

Background: Several studies have revealed a high soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio in preeclamptic women. However, its role in patients with suspected preeclampsia (PE) at triage in the emergency department remains an issue and a controversial unique cutpoint of 85 has been proposed regardless of gestational age. A new cutpoint for sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was investigated to rule out PE at obstetric triage, and to assess its prognostic value for risk of imminent delivery.

Vitamin D deficiency at pediatric intensive care admission.

Objective: to assess whether 25hydroxivitaminD or 25(OH)vitD deficiency has a high prevalence at pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission, and whether it is associated with increased prediction of mortality risk scores.

Method: prospective observational study comparing 25(OH)vitD levels measured in 156 patients during the 12 hours after critical care admission with the 25(OH)vitD levels of 289 healthy children. 25(OH)vitD levels were also compared between PICU patients with pediatric risk of mortality III (PRISM III) or pediatric index of mortality 2 (PIM 2) > p75 [(group A; n = 33) vs.

Pro-adrenomedullin, pro-endothelin-1, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and mortality risk in critically ill children: a prospective study.

Introduction: We tested the hypothesis that higher mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), carboxy-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET-1), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma concentrations would be associated with increased prediction of mortality risk scores.

Methods: Prospective observational study set in two pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Two-hundred-thirty-eight patients were included.

Biological variation and prognosis usefulness of new biomarkers in liver transplantation.

Background: An observational retrospective study has been conducted, including 52 patients (37 male and 15 female), ranging from 22 to 65 years old, who underwent an orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA) between 2007 and 2010.

Methods: The main objective was to evaluate the post-OLT critical complication prognosis usefulness of the precursors of three new biomarkers: mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM), carboxy-terminal-proendothelin-1 (CT-ProET-1) and mid-regional proatrial natriuretic peptide (MR-ProANP). As all of them are blood pressure mediators, stress-associated physiological phenomena are expected to affect their expression and secretion, mainly those related to blood circulation.

Improvement of a prenatal screening program for trisomy 18 in the first trimester of gestation.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate population parameters (medians, standard deviations and coefficients of correlation) different from those used by the commercial software Elipse(®) v3.0 (Perkin Elmer) in the calculation of prenatal risk of trisomy 18. Moreover, the truncation limits used for extreme values of free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (fβ-hCG), pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and nuchal translucency (NT) were revised.

Prognostic value of proadrenomedullin in severe sepsis and septic shock patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

Principles: Midregional proadrenomedullin (proADM) is a novel biomarker with potential prognostic utility in patients with community-acquired pneumonia. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of proADM levels for severity assessment and outcome prediction in severe sepsis and septic shock due to CAP.

Methods: Prospective observational study including 49 patients admitted to ICU with both a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of pneumonia and fulfilling criteria for severe sepsis or septic shock.

Cord blood plasma reference intervals for potential sepsis markers: pro-adrenomedullin, pro-endothelin, and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide.

Objectives: To establish reference values in cord blood of the following new sepsis markers: pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), pro-endothelin (CT-proET-1), and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP).

Methods: MR-proADM, CT-proET-1, MR-proANP, and procalcitonin (PCT) were measured in cord blood of newborn infants by Time Resolved Amplified Cryptate Emission (TRACE) technology. The inclusion criteria in the control group (n=194) was the absence of any clinical sign or risk factor of sepsis.

Usefulness of cell-free plasma DNA, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as markers of infection in febrile patients.

Background: Circulating nucleic acids were discovered more than 60 y ago. With the recent developments in the study of circulating nucleic acids, its application in the diagnostic field has increased. The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of the quantification of cell-free plasma DNA (CF-DNA) concentration in the diagnosis of infections in febrile patients and as a prognostic marker in septic patients.

New quantitative electrochemiluminescence method (ECLIA) for interleukin-6 (IL-6) measurement.

Background: A new interleukin-6 (IL-6) electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA, Roche Diagnostics) was evaluated and compared to a previous semiquantitative immunoassay (Milenia Biotec). Reference ranges for cord blood plasma were also calculated.

Methods: The new IL-6 ECLIA test was performed using a Cobas E601 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics).

Clinical utility of NT-proBNP levels in late heart transplantation patients.

Background: The present work was aimed to describe NT-proBNP levels in heart transplant patients after the first year postsurgery.

Methods: NT-proBNP concentration was measured in 1231 samples from 142 patients when a routine four-month follow-up was carried out, including other biochemical and clinical examinations. Endomyocardial biopsies were performed only upon clinical suspicion of acute rejection.

Plasma procalcitonin measured by time-resolved amplified cryptate emission (TRACE) in liver transplant patients. A prognosis marker of early infectious and non-infectious postoperative complications.

Background: Elevated procalcitonin (PCT) levels are observed after major surgery, such as orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx). The aim of this observational study was to evaluate PCT kinetics during the first 5 following days after surgery to establish the prognostic value of PCT changes in the outcome of OLTx, and to predict medical, technical and infectious complications. PCT was also evaluated in the differential diagnosis of infection vs.