NGAL and other markers of inflammation as competitive or complementary markers for depressive symptom dimensions in heart failure.

Objectives: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is an inflammatory marker associated with the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF), the psychopathology of depression and the co-existing symptoms of depression in HF patients. The aim of this study is to determine whether the association of serum NGAL levels with depressive symptoms dimensions in HF is independent of well-known inflammatory markers.

Methods: Serum NGAL, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), its two soluble receptors; sTNFR1, sTNFR2, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and leukocytes were measured in 104 patients with HF at baseline and 12 months.

Occurrence of CCSVI in patients with MS and its relationship with iron metabolism and varicose veins.

Background And Purpose: A new treatable venous disorder, chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), has been proposed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Its relationship with iron metabolism is suggested, but has not been examined prospectively.

Methods: We performed extra- and transcranial echo colour Doppler (ECD) in 90 patients with MS and 41 healthy controls (HC).

Effect of the hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier HBOC-201 on laboratory instrumentation: cobas integra, chiron blood gas analyzer 840, Sysmex SE-9000 and BCT.

As part of a clinical trial, we evaluated the effects of the hemoglobin-based oxygen-carrier (HBOC) HBOC-201 (an ultrapurified, stroma-free bovine hemoglobin product, Biopure, Cambridge, MA, USA) on our routine clinical chemistry analyzer (Cobas Integra, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland ), blood gas analyzer (Chiron 840, Chiron Diagnostics Corporation, East Walpole, MA, USA), routine hemocytometry analyzer (Sysmex SE-9000, TOA Medical Electronics Co Ltd., Kobe, Japan), hemostasis analyzer (BCT, Dade-Behring, Marburg, Germany) and bloodbanking system (Dia-Med-ID Micro Typing System, DiaMed AG, Cressier, Switzerland).

Chylothorax or leakage of total parenteral nutrition?

The diagnosis chylothorax is based on a chemical analysis of the pleural effusion. According to the literature, this analysis can be rather straightforward, comprising measurements of triglycerides, chylomicrons, and cholesterol. In this report we present an autopsy case that alerted us to interpret these results critically.

Diagnostic value of some biochemical bone markers for the detection of bone metastases in prostate cancer.

Bone metastases in cancer of the prostate are diagnosed routinely by isotope bone scintigraphy and the measurement of alkaline phosphatase in serum and the calcium excretion in urine. The specificity of these examinations is in general not satisfactory. We therefore investigated the diagnostic value of five new markers of bone formation and bone resorption for the detection of the metastatic process.