Antibody Dependent Enhancement Due to Original Antigenic Sin and the Development of SARS.

Human coronavirus (HCoV) is one of the most common causes of respiratory tract infections throughout the world. Two phenomena observed so far in the development of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic deserve further attention. First, the relative absence of clinical signs of infections in children, second, the early appearance of IgG in certain patients.

Incremental value of copeptin in suspected acute myocardial infarction very early after symptom onset.

Background: Patients presenting very early after chest pain onset may provide a diagnostic challenge even when using a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTnT). We hypothesized that in these patients the incremental value of copeptin in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may be substantial.

Methods: We aimed to investigate the incremental value of copeptin in a pre-specified subgroup analysis of patients presenting with suspected AMI to the emergency department within 2 hours of symptom onset in a multicenter study.

Incremental value of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein in suspected acute myocardial infarction early after symptom onset.

Background: The early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) very soon after symptom onset remains a major clinical challenge, even when using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTnT).

Methods And Results: We investigated the incremental value of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (hFABP) in a pre-specified subgroup analysis of patients presenting with suspected AMI within 1 h of symptom onset to the emergency department (ED) in a multicentre study. HFABP was measured in a blinded fashion.

[The concept of reference change values (RCV). Will it supersede reference intervals?].

Reference values are generally used to allow a decision on whether a laboratory value is in the normal range or if it mirrors a pathological process. This decision is especially difficult to take, when the pathological process is just starting and the values are relatively close to the normal range. Particularly in this phase, the decision is extremely important.

[Drivers licence for the doctor's lab].

In Switzerland a general practitioner as well as a specialist needs a qualification to be entitled to do laboratory tests in their private offices and take advantage of health insurance funding. This qualification is reached by accomplishing the so called FAPL-course (FAPL = Fähigkeitsausweis Praxislabor). The course was introduced in 2003 and is expanding year by year.

Comparisons of home and daytime ambulatory blood pressure measurements.

Background: Home (HBPM) and ambulatory (ABPM) blood pressure measurements have their advantages and disadvantages in diagnosing and managing hypertension. We studied HBPMs and ABPMs in volunteers taking part in a survey.

Methods: Of 366 respondents, 270 provided a total of 5997 triplicate HBPMs (Part 1); 175 also provided data on ABPMs, of which the measurements obtained between 6 am and 10 pm were used in this study (Part 2).

Impact of a proprietary concentrate of Sambucus nigra L. on urinary pH.

A proprietary concentrate from Sambucus nigra L.--in its diluted preparation as part of a hypocaloric diet available in Switzerland--had no impact on urinary pH, urinary hydrogen ion concentrations or 24 h excretion and thus did not influence the solubility of stone-inducing ions.

Clinical correlates of very high brain natriuretic peptide levels in hospitalized patients.

While low brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) values have been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy by excluding congestive heart failure in acute dyspnea, the meaning of excessively elevated BNP is not clear. This is a retrospective analysis of clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory data in patients with BNP values >2500 ng/L. Sixty-seven patients (36 men) with a median age of 79 years were included.