Albumin as an outcome measure in haemodialysis in patients: the effect of variation in assay method.

Background: Serum/plasma albumin is an important predictor of future mortality/morbidity in haemodialysis (HD) patients and has been proposed as an important audit measure. Different methods of albumin assay give different results and the bias between methods may be greater in renal failure patients.

Methods: Albumin concentration in plasma was measured by three methods, two dye-binding methods (bromocresol green (BCG) and bromocresol purple (BCP)) and an immuno-turbidimetric (ITM) method, in 143 HD patients (group I) and 49 non-renal patients (group II).

Multiple sclerosis, dental caries and fillings: a case-control study.

Objectives: To investigate the association between multiple sclerosis, dental caries, amalgam fillings, body mercury and lead.

Design: Matched case-control study.

Setting: Leicestershire in the years 1989-1990.

Potential impact of a change in the diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus on the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance in a local community at risk of diabetes: impact of new diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus.

Aims: To compare the prevalence of diabetes and abnormal glucose metabolism using conventional and suggested new WHO and new ADA criteria in a group of people with symptoms of diabetes.

Methods: We examined retrospectively the results of 154 consecutive OGTTs in such patients performed using capillary whole blood.

Results: With the 1985 WHO criteria.

Effect of thyroid stimulating hormone on adaptive behaviour in Down's syndrome.

Patients with Down's syndrome are particularly vulnerable to the development of both hypothyroidism and Alzheimer's disease. Both hypothyroidism and Alzheimer's disease may be associated with elevated serum concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone. In a group of institutionalized Down's syndrome patients with normal thyroid function, global scores of ability were higher than in a group of patients with elevated thyroid stimulating hormone levels in the presence of normal T3 and T4.