Identification of host endotypes using peripheral blood transcriptomics in a prospective cohort of patients with endocarditis.

Objectives: Host responses to infection are a major determinant of outcome. However, the existence of different response profiles in patients with endocarditis has not been addressed. Our objective was to apply transcriptomics to identify endotypes in patients with infective endocarditis.

Evaluation of the first 5 years of a glutaric aciduria type I neonatal screening programme in Asturias.

Introduction: . Neonatal screening of glutaric aciduria type 1 (GA-1) has brought radical changes in the course and outcomes of this disease. This study analyses the outcomes of the first 5 years (2015-2019) of the AGA1 neonatal screening programme in our autonomous community.

Value of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor as a predictor of prognosis in patients attended in hospital emergency departments.

Objectives: To determine the value of the soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) for predicting outcomes in emergency department (ED) patients. Secondary objectives were 1) to measure the predictive value of the usual decision points, 2) to identify patients at low risk for mortality who could be safely discharged from the ED, and 3) to measure the correlation between suPAR and other biomarkers.

Material And Methods: Prospective observational cohort study of patients attended in the EDs of participating hospitals.

Evaluation of DiaSorin Liaison calprotectin fecal assay adapted for pleural effusion.

Objectives: Calprotectin (CP) is a calcium and zinc binding protein that is widely measured on faecal samples but its determination in other biological fluids might be of interest. The aim of this work was to validate the measurement of CP in pleural fluid by chemiluminescence.

Methods: LIAISONXL, a fully automated chemiluminescence analyzer, was used for CP quantification on pleural fluid.

Assessment of coagulation assays on Roche Cobas t711 analyzer: performance and clinical implications.

Objectives: We performed an analytical assessment of five coagulation tests [i.e. prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen, thrombin time (TT) and D-dimer] on the Roche Cobas t711 analyzer and a comparison study with the methodology in use at our laboratory (i.

Purple urine in Berdon syndrome: a rare finding in the clinic laboratory.

Introduction: Purple Urine Bag Syndrome (PUBS) is a rare disorder seen in elderly persons, wherein the urinary bag and the tubing turn in to purple colour. It is usually seen in patients who are on urinary catheters for a long time. It consists of a change in the colour of the urine that turns purple in a very specific context.

Neonatal TSH as a marker of iodine nutrition status. Effect of maternal ioduria and thyroid function on neonatal TSH.

Introduction: Neonatal thyroid stimulating hormone (nTSH) is a marker of iodine nutrition status in the population. The WHO considers a prevalence of less than 3% of nTSH levels greater than 5 mIU/L in samples obtained within 72h from birth indicative of iodine sufficiency. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of nTSH levels greater than 5 mIU/L in an iodine-sufficient population and its association with maternal, neonatal and obstetric factors.

A Dynamic Approach for Early Risk Prediction of Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infection and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome in Febrile Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Procalcitonin (PCT), and Interleukine 6 (IL6) biomarkers in predicting the existence of high-risk episodes (HRE) during the first 24 h of fever in pediatric cancer patients. HRE were defined as the presence of Gram-negative bloodstream infections or Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Methods: The study included 103 consecutive fever episodes in 44 hemato-oncological pediatric patients, from whom samples for biomarkers were taken upon initial evaluation (CRP-1, PCT-1 and IL6-1) and then between 12 and 24 h afterward (CRP-2, PCT-2 and IL6-2).

Biomarkers and Fever in Children with Cancer: Kinetics and Levels According to Final Diagnosis.

We investigated the kinetics of CRP, PCT, IL-6 and MR-proADM in a cohort of consecutive febrile patients with cancer in order to test the hypothesis that higher plasma concentrations and the absence of a rapid decrease in peak values would be associated with disease severity. (1) Method: A prospective descriptive and analytical study of patients with cancer and fever (≤18 years of age) at a University Hospital was carried out between January 2018 and December 2019. Information collected: sex, age, diagnosis, date and symptoms at diagnosis and medical history.

Midregional proadrenomedullin safely reduces hospitalization in a low severity cohort with infections in the ED: a randomized controlled multi-centre interventional pilot study.

Introduction: The midregional fragment of proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is known to provide accurate short-, mid- and long term prognostic information in the triage and multi-dimensional risk assessment of patients in the emergency department (ED). In two independent observational cohorts MR-proADM values identified low disease severity patients without risk of disease progression in the ED with no 28 days mortality that wouldn´t require hospitalization. In this interventional study we want to show that the combination of an MR-proADM algorithm with clinical assessment is able to identify low risk patients not requiring hospitalization to safely reduce the number of hospital admissions.

[Beginnings, evolution and current situation of the Newborn Screening Programs in Spain.].

Newborn Screening Programs (NSP) in Spain were born in the city of Granada in 1968. Till the 1980s, they were developed around the so-called "National Plan for Preventing Subnormality", covering up to 30% of the Spanish newborns. From 1982, when the health system management was transferred to the different autonomous regions, the NSP began to expand, and the bases to transform them into an organized and multidisciplinary activity, integrated and coordinated from the National Health System were settled.

Performance of plasma free metanephrines in diagnosis of pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas in the population of Asturias.

Introduction: Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are uncommon tumors whose best known symptoms include high blood pressure, palpitations, headache, and sweating. Clinical identification is not easy, however, and requires biochemical tests that allow for early diagnosis, including measurement of metanephrines levels. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of plasma free metanephrines (PMETs) and to verify the transferability of the reference values used.

Predictive capacity of a multimarker strategy to determine short-term mortality in patients attending a hospital emergency Department for acute heart failure. BIO-EAHFE study.

Objective: A multimarker strategy may help determine the prognosis of patients with acute heart failure (AHF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MRproADM), copeptin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) combined with conventional clinical and biochemical markers to predict the 30-day mortality of patients with AHF.

Methods: We performed an observational, multicenter, prospective study of patients attended in the emergency department (ED) for AHF.

Challenges for Worldwide Harmonization of Newborn Screening Programs.

Background: Inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs) are caused by a defect in a metabolic pathway, leading to malfunctioning metabolism and/or the accumulation of toxic intermediate metabolites. To date, hundreds of IMDs have been identified. Many of these diseases are potentially fatal conditions that are not apparent at birth.

Neurofilament medium polypeptide (NFM) protein concentration is increased in CSF and serum samples from patients with brain injury.

Background: Brain injury is a medical emergency that needs to be diagnosed and treated promptly. Several proteins have been studied as biomarkers of this medical condition. The aims of this study were to: 1) evaluate the selectivity and precision of a commercial ELISA kit for neurofilament medium polypeptide (NFM) protein; and 2) evaluate the concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of healthy individuals and patients with brain damage.

Identification of novel biomarkers of brain damage in patients with hemorrhagic stroke by integrating bioinformatics and mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Hemorrhagic stroke (HS) is a significant cause of mortality that requires rapid diagnosis and prompt medical attention. A time-efficient diagnostic test to assist in the early classification of patients with stroke would be of great value. The aims here were to (a) select "brain-specific" proteins using a bioinformatics approach, (b) develop selected reaction monitoring (SRM) assays for candidate proteins, and (c) quantify these proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Evaluation of population parameters and mathematical strategies for the calculation of prenatal risk of Down syndrome in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate the population parameters applied to the calculation of risk for Down syndrome (DS) in the first trimester screening (FTS) and the comparison of performance obtained including or excluding maternal age from the mathematical algorithm.

Methods: Three different calculation engines for prenatal risk of DS were developed on the basis of the population parameters from the Serum, Urine and Ultrasound Screening Study, the Fetal Medicine Foundation, and a combination of both of them. These calculators were evaluated in 14,645 first trimester pregnant women, including 59 DS affected fetuses, comparing their performance with that obtained by our commercial software Elipse® (Perkin Elmer Life and Analytical Sciences, Turku, Finland).

Non-invasive fetal RHD genotyping in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Background: Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDN) is caused primarily by feto-maternal RhD incompatibility. Although all RhD negative pregnant women undergo routine antenatal RhD prophylaxis at 28 weeks of gestation, and following delivery if the newborn is RhD positive, HDN has not been eradicated. Here, we investigated fetal Rhesus D (RHD) genotype in maternal plasma during the first trimester of pregnancy in our area.

Cell-free DNA as a noninvasive acute rejection marker in renal transplantation.

Background: Acute rejection (AR) is a key conditioning factor for long-term graft function and survival in renal transplantation patients. The standard care with creatinine measurements and biopsy upon allograft dysfunction implies that AR is usually detected at advanced stages. Rapid noninvasive biomarkers of rejection are needed to improve the management of these patients.

Elevated transrenal DNA (cell-free urine DNA) in patients with urinary tract infection compared to healthy controls.

Objective: To study whether levels of transrenal DNA (Tr-DNA) are influenced by the presence of urinary tract infections (UTI).

Methods: Tr-DNA concentrations were measured in 124 donors and 55 patients with UTI. Two methods for DNA extraction were compared.