An immune-protein score combining TRAIL, IP-10 and CRP for predicting severe COVID-19 disease.

COVID-19 patients are oftentimes over- or under-treated due to a deficit in predictive management tools. This study reports derivation of an algorithm that integrates the host levels of TRAIL, IP-10, and CRP into a single numeric score that is an early indicator of severe outcome for COVID-19 patients and can identify patients at-risk to deteriorate. 394 COVID-19 patients were eligible; 29% meeting a severe outcome (intensive care unit admission/non-invasive or invasive ventilation/death).

A point-of-need platform for rapid measurement of a host-protein score that differentiates bacterial from viral infection: Analytical evaluation.

The objective was to evaluate the analytical performance of a new point-of-need platform for rapid and accurate measurement of a host-protein score that differentiates between bacterial and viral infection. The system comprises a dedicated test cartridge (MeMed BV®) and an analyzer (MeMed Key®). In each run, three host proteins (TRAIL, IP-10 and CRP) are measured quantitatively and a combinational score (0-100) computed that indicates the likelihood of Bacterial versus Viral infection (BV score).

Expert panel diagnosis demonstrated high reproducibility as reference standard in infectious diseases.

Objective: If a gold standard is lacking in a diagnostic test accuracy study, expert diagnosis is frequently used as reference standard. However, interobserver and intraobserver agreements are imperfect. The aim of this study was to quantify the reproducibility of a panel diagnosis for pediatric infectious diseases.

A novel host-proteome signature for distinguishing between acute bacterial and viral infections.

Bacterial and viral infections are often clinically indistinguishable, leading to inappropriate patient management and antibiotic misuse. Bacterial-induced host proteins such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and Interleukin-6, are routinely used to support diagnosis of infection. However, their performance is negatively affected by inter-patient variability, including time from symptom onset, clinical syndrome, and pathogens.

Bolus guide: a novel insulin bolus dosing decision support tool based on selection of carbohydrate ranges.

Background: Optimal continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy emphasizes the relationship between insulin dose and carbohydrate consumption. One widely used tool (bolus calculator) requires the user to enter discrete carbohydrate values; however, many patients might not estimate carbohydrates accurately. This study assessed carbohydrate estimation accuracy in type 1 diabetes CSII users and compared simulated blood glucose (BG) outcomes using the bolus calculator and the "bolus guide," an alternative system based on ranges of carbohydrate load.