Comparison of plasma total carbon dioxide and standard hydrogen carbonate in a hospital laboratory setting.

Background: Studies comparing venous total carbon dioxide (tCO) and standard hydrogen carbonate (HCO(P,st)) has shown diverse results, and it is debatable whether these two parameters can be used interchangeably for workup of acid-base disorders in a hospital setting.

Method: All patients with an HCO(P,st) requisition from any department at Odense University Hospital between 11th May 2021 and 1st June 2021 had tCO and HCO(P,st) analysed simultaneously. TCO was measured on Cobas® 8000, c702 module, while HCO(P,st) was calculated based on measurements on ABL835 Flex.

[Rapid and secure exclusion of myocardial infarctionwithout ST-segment elevation].

Rapid identification of acute myocardial infarction (MI) is important for the early initiation of evidence-based therapy. In the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1h-algorithm (also called early-rule-out algorithm) high-sentivity cardiac troponin is measured at admission and one hour later. By using assay-specific cut-off levels patients are triaged to three different groups; "rule-out", "observation" or "rule-in" of acute MI.

Pseudohyponatraemia caused by acute pancreatitis-derived hypertriglyceridaemia.

We report a case of pseudohyponatraemia due to severe hypertriglyceridaemia-induced acute pancreatitis, stemming from unknown diabetes. A woman in her late 30s was admitted to the local hospital by her general practitioner due to severe hyponatraemia (116 mmol/L) and upper abdominal pain. At admission to the hospital, there was a discrepancy of 19 mmol/L between arterial and venous sodium, along with severe hypertriglyceridaemia and hypercholesterolaemia.

Diagnoses and mortality in a population without acute myocardial infarction, but with elevated high-sensitive troponin I - a retrospective register-based single center study.

Aim: To explore, which differential diagnoses to consider in individuals with elevated troponins without acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and the mortality for those individuals.

Methods: Retrospective, register-based study on a representative sample of the Danish population with the following inclusion criteria: High-sensitive troponin I (hs-TnI) ⋝25 ng/L, age ⋝18 years, and exclusion of AMI.

Results: 3067 individuals without AMI but increased hs-TnI were included.

Plasma viscosity: Evaluation of a new measuring method using microfluidic chip technology (microVisc™) for clinical use and determination of a new reference range.

Background: Plasma viscosity is an important biomarker both in diagnostics and treatment monitoring of plasma cell dyscrasias and other disorders with hyperviscosity syndrome as a clinical manifestation. Here, we investigate the performance of a new microfluidic-based viscometer for clinical use, establish a new reference range to be used with this instrument and determine the importance of sampling temperature.

Methods: The microVisc™ viscometer was evaluated for within-run and between-run imprecision and bias using standardized reference material (Paragon controls) and Seronorm™ control material.