Should screening of renal markers be recommended in a working population?

Introduction: It is debated whether the general population should be screened for kidney disease. This study evaluated whether screening of albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a working population should be recommended to detect subjects with chronic kidney disease.

Methods: The unreferred renal insufficiency study is a cross-sectional study in 1,398 workers aged 17-65.

Microalbuminuria is more consistent in the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: The use of microalbuminuria (MAU) to screen for cardiovascular and renal risk might be hampered by its intermittent character. This prospective observational study assessed traditional risk factors in presumed healthy workers with intermittent MAU (IMAU) compared to persistent MAU (PMAU).

Methods: A cohort of 239 Belgian workers underwent at least two consecutive occupational check-ups with a median time of 12 months.

Towards a rational screening strategy for albuminuria: results from the unreferred renal insufficiency trial.

Background: There remains debate about the screening strategies for albuminuria. This study evaluated whether a screening strategy in an apparently healthy population based on basic clinical and biochemical parameters could be more effective than a strategy where screening for albuminuria is performed unselectively.

Methodology/principal Findings: The Unreferred Renal Insufficiency (URI) Study is a cross-sectional study on the prevalence of metabolic risk factors in Belgian workers, volunteering to be screened during a routine yearly occupational check-up.

Multilocus genotyping of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in non-outbreak related cases of diarrhoea in human patients in Belgium.

Stool samples from Belgian patients suffering from abdominal pain and/or diarrhoea were examined for Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Cryptosporidium-positive samples were genotyped using the 70 kDa heat shock protein and the 60 kDa glycoprotein (GP60) genes: C. hominis was identified in 54.

The influence of matrix type, diurnal rhythm and sample collection and processing on the measurement of plasma beta-amyloid isoforms using the INNO-BIA plasma Abeta forms multiplex assay.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the extent to which plasma matrix types, diurnal rhythm and sample collection and processing procedures contribute to overall variability of measurements with the INNO-BIA plasma Abeta forms assay.

Methods: Plasma samples from healthy volunteers were collected at BARC-CRI. Analyte concentrations from various plasma matrix types (EDTA, heparin, fluoride) were compared to serum after collection of blood in commercial plastic and glass tubes.