Estimation of the celiac disease prevalence in Denmark and the diagnostic value of HLA-DQ2/DQ8.

The aims of the present study were to estimate the celiac disease (CD) prevalence in Denmark and the relevance of the test for human leukocyte antigen DQ2 and DQ8 haplotypes (HLA-DQ2/DQ8) for diagnosing CD. The plasma IgA transglutaminase antibody (TGA-IgA) and HLA-DQ2/DQ8 tests should normally be positive for a CD diagnosis. First, we estimated the CD and HLA-DQ2/DQ8 prevalence in the available blood samples collected at the North Zealand Hospital.

Associations between biomarkers at discharge and co-morbidities and risk of readmission after community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study.

To investigate whether hemoglobin, white blood cell count (WBC), urea, sodium, albumin, and C-reactive protein at discharge in patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are associated with 30-day readmission. This study is a retrospective cohort study, which included all adult patients discharged after hospitalization for CAP from three Danish hospitals between January 2011 and July 2012. The outcome was all-cause, unplanned, 30-day readmission.

Criteria to interpret cancer biomarker increments crossing the recommended cut-off compared in a simulation model focusing on false positive signals and tumour detection time.

Background: Several criteria have been proposed to interpret increments in serological cancer biomarker concentrations starting from low baseline concentrations crossing the cut-off. None of the criteria have been compared for their ability to signal tumour growth when ≤2% false positive results are accepted.

Methods: The cancer biomarker Tissue Polypeptide Antigen was used as an example.

Interpretation of increments in serial tumour biomarker concentrations depends on the distance of the baseline concentration from the cut-off.

Background: In the management of breast cancer, several algorithms for interpretation of measured concentrations during monitoring have been introduced, without objective evaluation of their performance regarding the distance of the starting concentration from the cut-off concentration.

Methods: A computer simulation model has developed using parameters for the tumour biomarker CA 15-3 regarding biological variation and different rates of increase during progressive disease. Seven different algorithms, which include the cut-off point in the calculations, are applied to the simulated data corresponding to 1000 surrogate patients.