[Recommendations for metrological control of measuring equipments in the clinical laboratories].

The control of the measuring equipment (balances, mass standards, micropipettes, dilutors, volumetric glassware, thermometers...

[Recommendations for expressing uncertainty of measurement of quantitative results in laboratory medicine].

In laboratory medicine, the quantitative results of examinations are interpreted with regard to reference intervals, clinical decision limits or previous results of a patient, from which it is necessary to inform the clinician about the uncertainty of measurement linked to the value of the result. This document explains the problematic of the expression of the uncertainty of measurement. It proposes recommendations concerning a simple way to evaluate uncertainty of measurement using long term internal quality control data and the value of the uncertainty linked to the method calibration.

A single procalcitonin level does not predict adverse outcomes of women with pyelonephritis.

Objectives: Predicting medical outcomes for pyelonephritis in women is difficult, leading to unnecessary hospitalization. Unlike other serious infectious diseases, high procalcitonin (PCT) level has never been associated with 28-d adverse medical outcomes in women with pyelonephritis. Therefore, we sought to determine the accuracy of PCT in discriminating between pyelonephritis with adverse medical outcome (PAMO) and pyelonephritis without adverse medical outcome (PWAMO).

B-type natriuretic peptide and weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Objective: Cardiac function and volume status could play a critical role in the setting of weaning failure. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a powerful marker of cardiac dysfunction. We assessed the value of BNP during the weaning process.

Usefulness of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide in predicting recurrence of atrial fibrillation one year after external cardioversion.

After successful external cardioversion, the rate of recurrence of atrial fibrillation remains high. The hypothesis that plasma B-type natriuretic peptide could predict the recurrence of atrial fibrillation at 1 year was tested. Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide was measured in 66 consecutive asymptomatic patients who underwent external cardioversion for atrial fibrillation.