Evaluation of Real Time PCR Aspergillus spp. in bronchoalveolar lavage samples.

The present study investigated the improvement in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) adding a molecular test on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to the routine diagnostic approach including microscopy, culture and galactomannan (GM) immunoassay. A total of 133 BAL samples were retrospectively tested for the Aspergillus DNA: 112 samples were from immunocompromised patients at risk of invasive fungal infection and 21 were from patients not at risk and without clinical evidence of IPA. The latter samples were used to identify the cut-off of positivity for the molecular test.

The diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers for diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA)-negative PBC patients: a review of literature.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), also known as primary biliary cirrhosis, is an autoimmune disease of the liver characterized by anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) in 90%-95% of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of several serum biomarkers in patients with PBC but negative for AMA. Some antinuclear antibodies (ANA) pattern, detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), such as multiple nuclear dot (MND) and rim-like patterns are well-known to be specific for PBC.

Immunosuppressive drugs in whole blood: validation of a commercially available liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry kit and comparison with immunochemical assays.

Rationale: In the determination of immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporine A (CSA), tacrolimus (TARO), sirolimus (SIRO), and everolimus (EVE) in whole blood there is an open debate about which is the best assay between immunochemistry and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). This work is aimed to explore this topic, focusing on the use of updated assays and the analysis of a large number of samples.

Methods: A certified in vitro diagnostic kit coupled with a medical device LC/MS/MS was validated and applied to the analysis of 1192 blood samples of patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs.

Three-year analysis of repeated laboratory tests for the markers total cholesterol, ferritin, vitamin D, vitamin B , and folate, in a large research and teaching hospital in Italy.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: The increasing number of diagnostic tests requests all over the world is a problem that can partially be explained by inappropriate testing. Impact on the total costs of health systems becomes relevant when tests are performed in a large amount. In this paper, retesting of total cholesterol, ferritin, vitamin B , vitamin D, and folate is assessed.

Induces Mediastinitis after a Tonsillar Abscess.

is commonly involved in genitourinary tract infections. We report a 59-year-old man who developed a -associated mediastinitis following acute tonsillar infection.