Breastfed Infants With Spells, Tremor, or Irritability: Rule Out Vitamin B12 Deficiency.

Background: In Norway, 5-10% of neonates and infants have biomarkers suggesting vitamin B12 deficiency from newborn screening tests and unselected clinical screening, respectively.

Aims: The aims were to identify risk factors and describe presenting symptoms and biochemical profiles in infants diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Methods: In this case-control study, we searched hospital medical records for infants younger than one year born in 2011-2018, diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency.

The prevalence and clinical relevance of hyperhomocysteinemia suggesting vitamin B12 deficiency in presumed healthy infants.

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of biochemical vitamin B12 deficiency in infants in Norway. Increased total homocysteine (tHcy) is the most important marker of B12 deficiency in infants. There is a need to evaluate its clinical relevance.

Falsely markedly elevated 25-hydroxyvitamin D in patients with monoclonal gammopathies.

Objectives: Monoclonal immunoglobulins can cause interference in many laboratory analyses. During a 4 month period we observed seven patients with monoclonal disease and falsely extremely elevated 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) results above 160 ng/mL (>400 nmol/L) measured using an immunoassay from Abbott Diagnostics. Based on these findings, we studied the occurrence of falsely elevated 25(OH)D in samples with paraproteins and investigated possible mechanisms of the observed interference.

Biological variation of holotranscobalamin and cobalamin in healthy individuals.

Data on biological variation for cobalamin and holotranscobalamin (holoTC) are limited. The aim of this study was to determine within-subject (CV) and between-subject (CV) biological variations for these analytes in a healthy population. We collected blood samples from 15 healthy volunteers (12 women and three men, 22-66 years) on the same weekday for 10 consecutive weeks.

Intensive educational efforts combined with external quality assessment improve the preanalytical phase in general practitioner offices and nursing homes.

Background: Errors in the preanalytical phase in clinical laboratories affect patient safety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intensive educational efforts together with external quality assessment (EQA) of the preanalytical phase from 2013 to 2015 to improve patient identification in primary health care in Norway. In addition, routines for venous and capillary blood sampling were investigated.

Low serum creatinine is associated with type 2 diabetes in morbidly obese women and men: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Serum creatinine may serve as a surrogate marker of muscle mass, and a possible relationship between low serum creatinine and type 2 diabetes has recently been demonstrated. We aimed to validate this finding in a population of Caucasian morbidly obese subjects.

[Trends in the diagnosis and management of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia].

Background: The guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia were changed at Vestfold Hospital, Norway in 1994 and 2007. Universal screening for ABO-immunization was implemented in 2006. This article describes effects of these changes.

Validation of the Hemo_Control instrument for determination of B-haemoglobin concentration in primary health care.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of a new portable haemoglobinometer, Hemo_Control (EKF-diagnostic, GmbH, Germany), which measures haemoglobin concentration in venous and capillary samples.

Method: The within series and between series imprecision of the Hemo_Control instrument were calculated after measuring the concentration of venous samples under standardized conditions; by experienced laboratory technicians in a hospital laboratory, and venous and capillary samples under conditions similar to where the instrument is intended for use; by personnel at two primary health care centres. The bias of the Hemo_Control instrument was calculated as the difference between its results and results obtained with a Coulter LH 750 instrument traceable to the ICSH reference method.

Fasting plasma glucose in the screening for type 2 diabetes in morbidly obese subjects.

Background: Higher mortality rates among morbidly obese (BMI of > or =40 or > or =35 kg/m2 with weight-related comorbidities) subjects are mainly explained by comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes. As bariatric surgery ameliorates diabetes, obese diabetic subjects will receive great benefits from bariatric surgery. Screening for diabetes prior to surgical referral is therefore crucial.

Anthropometric characteristics and type 2 diabetes in extremely obese Caucasian subjects: a cross-sectional study.

The associations between various anthropometric characteristics and type 2 diabetes were assessed in 1003 consecutive extremely obese Caucasian patients. Unlike BMI, measures of central obesity, and particularly WHR, were independently associated with type 2 diabetes.

Inflammatory mediators in morbidly obese subjects: associations with glucose abnormalities and changes after oral glucose.

Objective: To explore inflammatory mediators in morbidly obese (MO) subjects with various categories of glucose tolerance and to study the changes in these mediators after an oral glucose load.

Design: Cross-sectional and experimental study.

Methods: A total of 144 MO subjects were classified into three categories: normal glucose tolerance (NGT); pre-diabetes; and new onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) were included, as were 27 normal weight normoglycemic controls.

Parathyroid hormone, but not vitamin D, is associated with the metabolic syndrome in morbidly obese women and men: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism is high among morbidly obese subjects. Further, low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 [OH]D) and magnesium have been associated with increased risk of the metabolic syndrome (MS), and recently, a possible link between PTH and MS has been reported. Although it is well known that the synthesis and secretion of PTH is regulated by serum levels of calcium, phosphate, magnesium and 25(OH)D, less is known about the possible clustered affiliation of these parameters with MS.