Evaluation of neutrophil extracellular traps as the circulating marker for patients with acute coronary syndrome and acute ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are known to be induced by various factors. In this study, we tried to identify circulating levels of NETs in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and to confirm its suitability as a new circulating marker in their detection.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 95 patients with a diagnosis of ACS (N = 37) or AIS (N = 58) in Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, Korea.

Performance evaluation of new Abbott Alinity hq hematology analyzer.

Introduction: Abbott Alinity hq is a next-generation automated hematology analyzer providing complete blood count (CBC) with 6-part white blood cells (WBC) differential counts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the analyzer to verify the diagnostic and clinical utility of the Abbott Alinity hq automated system.

Methods: We evaluated specimen stability, precision, linearity, carry-over, and method comparison to assess the performance of Alinity hq.

Serotype Distribution and Antimicrobial Resistance of Invasive and Noninvasive Isolates in Korea between 2014 and 2016.

Background: Several factors contribute to differences in serotype distribution. We investigated the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of isolated between 2014 and 2016 in Korea.

Methods: We collected a total of 1,855 isolates from 44 hospitals between May 2014 and May 2016, and analyzed the serotypes by sequential multiplex PCR.

Concomitant Liver and Brain Abscesses Caused by .

Anaerobic infections have been reported to be responsible for 3-10% of pyogenic liver abscesses in Korea, and reported anaerobes include , , and . is an anaerobic, Gram-positive, non-spore-forming bacterial species and a constituent of normal flora on skin, vagina, gastrointestinal tract, and oral cavity that can cause opportunistic infections. However, it has only rarely been reported to be a cause of liver abscess; only one such case has been reported in Korea.

Early prediction of severity in acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack using platelet parameters and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.

Background: It is still not easy to predict severity promptly in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and transient ischemic attack (TIA). We investigated that platelet parameters or combinations of them could be a useful tool for early prediction of severity of AIS and TIA at admission and after 3 months.

Methods: We prospectively recruited 104 patients newly diagnosed with AIS and TIA.

Platelet Function Analyzer-200 P2Y Results Are Predictive of the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Korean Patients Receiving Clopidogrel Therapy Following Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Clopidogrel is one of the most commonly used anti-platelet agents in cardiovascular diseases. We analyzed the relationship between the platelet function analyzer (PFA)-200 P2Y (INNOVANCE PFA-200 System, Siemens Healthcare, Germany) results and occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in Korean patients with recent-onset acute coronary syndrome (ACS) taking clopidogrel.

Methods: Between August 2013 and June 2016, we prospectively enrolled 106 patients with recent-onset ACS who had been treated with clopidogrel.

The Diagnostic Utility of the Point-of-Care CYP2C19 Genotyping Assay in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Dosing Clopidogrel: Comparison with Platelet Function Test and SNP Genotyping.

Background: Clopidogrel is a widely used antiplatelet agent for dual antiplatelet therapy and metabolized by CYP2C19. The polymorphism of CYP2C19 is associated with the therapeutic effect of clopidogrel.

Methods: A total of 119 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents was enrolled.

A retrospective analysis of cytogenetic alterations in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a single center study in Korea.

Background: The accurate identification of cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma (MM) has become more important over recent years for the development of new diagnostic and prognostic markers. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the cytogenetic aberrations in MM cases as an initial assessment in a single institute.

Methods: We reviewed the cytogenetic results from 222 patients who were newly diagnosed with MM between January 2000 and December 2015.

Correlation between the CYP2C19 phenotype status and the results of three different platelet function tests in cardiovascular disease patients receiving antiplatelet therapy: an emphasis on newly introduced platelet function analyzer-200 P2Y test.

Background: An association has been reported between CYP2C19 polymorphism and the altered antiplatelet activity of clopidogrel. We investigated this association using the newly introduced platelet function analyzer (PFA)-200 (INNOVANCE PFA-200 System; Siemens Healthcare, Germany) P2Y test.

Methods: Polymorphisms of CYP2C19*2, *3, *17 and the degree of inhibition of platelet function were determined in 83 patients.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Is Associated with Impaired Interferon-Gamma Release to Phytohemagglutinin.

Objective: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been shown to predict adverse outcomes in several pathologic conditions. The majority of indeterminate interferon (IFN)-γ release assays were due to inadequate IFN-γ response to the phytohemagglutinin. We sought to study the value of NLR to predict an indeterminate result of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) performed in routine laboratory practice.

Clinical usefulness of serum cystatin C as a marker of renal function.

Background: Accurate renal function measurements are important in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. In contrast to creatinine, the production of serum cystatin C has been extensively reported to be unaffected by body muscle mass, age, gender, and nutritional status.

Methods: Our study included 37 samples from diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients for whom serum creatinine tests had been requested and 40 samples from a healthy populations in Dong-A University Hospital between May 2010 and June 2010.

Diagnostic utility of multiprobe fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for detecting cytogenetic aberrations in acute leukemia.

Background: Specific cytogenetic aberrations detected by conventional karyotyping or FISH play a major role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of patients with acute leukemia. The FISH technique enhances the capacity of conventional karyotyping to detect subtle chromosomal aberrations. Multiprobe FISH assay (Cytocell, UK) can hybridize multiple probes to a single slide, thereby increasing the detection rate of cytogenetic aberrations.

Outbreak of pseudomonas oryzihabitans pseudobacteremia related to contaminated equipment in an emergency room of a tertiary hospital in Korea.

Pseudomonas oryzihabitans is frequently found in various sites within hospital settings, including sink drains and respiratory therapy equipment. Although it rarely causes human infections, P. oryzihabitans has recently been considered a potential nosocomial pathogen, especially in immunocompromised hosts.

Significance of interferon-gamma response to mitogen in serial QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay of routine laboratory practice.

Background: Clinical data of serial interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) testing in routine laboratory practice are limited. IFN-γ response to mitogen is used as a positive control in IGRA. We assessed the association between IFN-γ response to nil, mitogen, tuberculosis (TB) mycobacterial antigens, and the variations from the results of the serial testing.

A case of Clostridium difficile bacteremia in a patient with loop ileostomy.

Clostridium difficile, an anaerobic, spore-forming, gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, is the most common nosocomial pathogen causing pseudomembranous colitis. C. difficile is not intrinsically invasive and rarely infects extraintestinal sites.

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels in comparison with glomerular filtration rate for evaluation of renal function in patients with diabetic chronic kidney disease.

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a promising biomarker of acute kidney injury. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that NGAL is also a marker of kidney disease and severity in chronic kidney disease (CKD). We studied the utility of urinary NGAL in more accurately predicting renal function in patients with diabetic CKD.

A case of near-triploidy in myelodysplastic syndrome with del(5q) combined with del(1p) and del(13q).

Numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities are common in hematological malignancies. Near-triploidy (58-80 chromosomes) is a numerical abnormality observed in 3% of adult cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Near-triploidy is rare in myeloid lineage hematologic malignancies and compared to near-triploidy in lymphoid malignancies, near-triploidy in myeloid malignancies is associated with poor outcomes.