Changes in Antigen Carbohydrate 125 in Patients Receiving Dapagliflozin Following an Admission for Acute Heart Failure.

Introduction: Antigen carbohydrate 125 (CA125) has emerged as a proxy of fluid overload and inflammation in acute heart failure (AHF). We aimed to evaluate the influence of dapagliflozin on CA125 levels within the first weeks after discharge and whether CA125 changes were related to 6-month adverse clinical outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, data from 956 AHF patients discharged from a tertiary hospital were analyzed.

Lung Function, Radiological Findings and Biomarkers of Fibrogenesis in a Cohort of COVID-19 Patients Six Months After Hospital Discharge.

Introduction: Impairment in pulmonary function tests and radiological abnormalities are a major concern in COVID-19 survivors. Our aim is to evaluate functional respiratory parameters, changes in chest CT, and correlation with peripheral blood biomarkers involved in lung fibrosis at two and six months after SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Methods: COVID-FIBROTIC (clinicaltrials.

Discordant SOX-1 antibodies results in paraneoplastic Lambert-Eaton syndrome diagnosis by the clinical laboratory.

Background: Anti-Sry-like high mobility group box 1 (anti SOX-1) proteins are rare onconeural antibodies associated with paraneoplastic Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS). Few patients with anti-SOX-1 antibodies and negative anti-glial nuclear antibody reactivity have been described to date.

Case Subject And Methods: Our case involves a 72-year-old female patient with progressive girdle weakness, sensation of heaviness in the lower limbs, predominantly distal and associated with circulatory problems together with instability when walking, with a high suspicion of an autoimmune myopathic disorder.

Decision support system through automatic algorithms and electronic request in diagnosis of anaemia for primary care patients.

Introduction: An appropriate management of anaemia laboratory tests is crucial for a correct diagnosis and treatment. A non-sequential "shotgun" approach (where every anaemia related test is ordered) causes workload and cost increases and could be potentially harmful. We have implemented a Decision Support System through our laboratory information system (LIMS) based on reflexive algorithms and automatic generation of interpretative reports specifically in diagnosis of anaemia for primary care patients.

Computer physician order entry (CPOE) as a strategy to estimate laboratory activity and costs associated with cancer clinical trials.

Introduction: Most of clinical laboratories are not properly reimbursed for their activity related to clinical trials (CTs) conducted in their institutions due to a lack of measurement strategies. We implemented a specific computer physician order entry (CPOE) environment for CTs in order to facilitate ordering to providers and estimate the associated costs to be compared with the standard of care (SOC).

Materials And Methods: Four specific electronic formularies, restricted to two new virtual CTs clinical services (onco - CT and haemo - CT), were implemented in January 2015.

"Send & hold" clinical decision support rules improvement to reduce unnecessary testing of vitamins A, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6 and C.

Background: We assessed the impact of several "send & hold" clinical decision support rules (CDSRs) within the electronical request system for vitamins A, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6 and C for all outpatients at a large health department.

Methods: When ordered through electronical request, providers (except for all our primary care physicians who worked as a non-intervention control group) were always asked to answer several compulsory questions regarding main indication, symptomatology, suspected diagnosis, vitamin active treatments, etc., for each vitamin test using a drop-down list format.

Impact of an oral appliance on obstructive sleep apnea severity, quality of life, and biomarkers.

Objective/hypothesis: To investigate outcomes including efficacy, quality of life, and levels of inflammatory markers of a mandibular advancement device (MAD) for moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Study Design: Case-control study.

Methods: Patients with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15/hr who only accepted MAD therapy (study group) or who refused any treatment (control group) were recruited.

Utility of routine laboratory preoperative tests based on previous results: Time to give up.

Introduction: The usefulness and cost-effectiveness of routine laboratory preoperative tests (POTs) have been challenged recently. In fact, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Task Force has stated that test results obtained from the medical record within 6 months of surgery generally are mostly acceptable. The aim of our study was to evaluate the degree of utility of POTs and their clinical benefit based on this recommendation.

PAI-1 levels are related to insulin resistance and carotid atherosclerosis in subjects with familial combined hyperlipidemia.

Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH) is a primary atherogenic dyslipidemia with insulin resistance and increased cardiovascular risk. Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity are associated with proinflammatory and atherothrombotic risk. Our aim was to study the role played by PAI-1 and MPO activity in the carotid atherosclerosis prevalence in FCH subjects.

Failure to review STAT clinical laboratory requests and its economical impact.

Background: Failure to follow-up laboratory test results has been described as one of the major processes contributing to unsafe patient care. Currently, most of the laboratories do not know with certainty not only their rate of missed (or unreviewed) requests but the economical cost and impact that this issue implies. The aim of our study was to measure that rate and calculate the resulting costs.

Frailty and other geriatric conditions for risk stratification of older patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Geriatric conditions may predict outcomes beyond age and standard risk factors. Our aim was to investigate a wide spectrum of geriatric conditions in survivors after an acute coronary syndrome.

Methods: A total of 342 patients older than 65 years were included.

Enquiry time as part of turnaround time: when do our clinicians really consult our results?

Background: Traditionally, laboratories' turnaround times (TAT) have been calculated by only considering analytical or intralaboratory steps. The measure of the postanalytical impact in TAT has barely been studied and, more specifically, the running time from when finalised results are available to when clinicians make their first enquiry with an electronic medical record.

Methods: During May-June of 2013, two 'Times' were collected from our laboratory information system for all the priority requests coming from our day hospitals: 'Validation time' (TV), as the request report time with full verified results and 'Enquiry time' (TQ), as the time when the first consult was made via electronic medical record.

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.

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.