Delta check limits for thyroid function tests adjusted for clinical settings.

Background: This study aimed to determine practical delta check limits (DCLs) for thyroid function tests (TFTs) to detect sample misidentifications across various clinical settings.

Methods: Between 2020 and 2022, 610,437 paired TFT results were collected from six university hospitals. The absolute DCL (absDCL) was determined using the 95th percentile for each clinical setting from a random 60 % of the total data.

Clinical application of a real-time polymerase chain reaction test for CYP2C19 genotyping based on genotype distribution in a healthy Korean population.

Objective: With the recent reports of additional alleles of the CYP2C19 gene with decreased or no function, the clinical utility of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based testing that detects only a small number of variant targets needs to be evaluated.

Method: We retrospectively reviewed 7-year data for real-time PCR test records from a single hospital and analyzed CYP2C19 genotypes from publicly available whole-genome or whole-exome data from a healthy Korean population.

Results: Of the 2327 test results in this hospital, the *1 allele was most common (60.

Practical delta check limits for tumour markers in different clinical settings.

Objectives: Few studies have reported on delta checks for tumour markers, even though these markers are often evaluated serially. Therefore, this study aimed to establish a practical delta check limit in different clinical settings for five tumour markers: alpha-fetoprotein, cancer antigen 19-9, cancer antigen 125, carcinoembryonic antigen, and prostate-specific antigen.

Methods: Pairs of patients' results (current and previous) for five tumour markers between 2020 and 2021 were retrospectively collected from three university hospitals.

Effect of Characterized Green Tea Extraction Methods and Formulations on Enzymatic Starch Hydrolysis and Intestinal Glucose Transport.

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of various characterized green tea extracts (GTEs) according to extraction methods on enzymatic starch hydrolysis and intestinal glucose transport. Codigestion of wheat starch with water extract (WGT) or ethanol extract formulated with green tea polysaccharides and flavonols (CATEPLUS) produced 3.4-3.

An Algorithmic Approach Is Superior to the 99th Percentile Upper Reference Limits of High Sensitivity Troponin as a Threshold for Safe Discharge from the Emergency Department.

: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-TnI) is an important indicator of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among patients presenting with chest discomfort at the emergency department (ED). We aimed to determine a reliable hs-TnI cut-off by comparing various values for a baseline single measurement and an algorithmic approach. : We retrospectively reviewed the hs-TnI values of patients who presented to our ED with chest discomfort between June 2019 and June 2020.

Usefulness of the prostate health index in predicting the presence and aggressiveness of prostate cancer among Korean men: a prospective observational study.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the Beckman Coulter prostate health index (PHI) and to compare it with total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and related derivatives in predicting the presence and aggressiveness of prostate cancer (PCa) in the Korean population.

Methods: A total of 140 men who underwent their first prostate biopsy for suspected PCa were included in this prospective observational study. The diagnostic performance of total PSA, free PSA, %free PSA, [-2] proPSA (p2PSA), %p2PSA, and PHI in detecting and predicting the aggressiveness of PCa was estimated using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and logistic multivariate regression analyses.

Development and Application of Computerized Risk Registry and Management Tool Based on FMEA and FRACAS for Total Testing Process.

: Risk management is considered an integral part of laboratory medicine to assure laboratory quality and patient safety. However, the concept of risk management is philosophical, so actually performing risk management in a clinical laboratory can be challenging. Therefore, we would like to develop a sustainable, practical system for continuous total laboratory risk management.

Performance of Norudia Glycated Albumin Assay on Multiple Analytical Platforms and Comparison to Lucica Assay.

Background: The Norudia glycated albumin (GA) assay was evaluated for analytical performance and assay applicability on multiple analytical platforms.

Methods: The evaluation included precision, linearity, reference interval, and comparison with Lucica GA assay. A multicenter study was conducted to compare the results of Norudia GA assay on five kinds of widely used automated clinical chemistry analyzers.

Somatic Mosaicism of NF2 Gene Mutation with Constitutional NF1 Gene Mutation in Neurofibromatosis Type 2: a Case Report.

Background: Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disorder, and neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2 have different genetic and clinical features. Herein, we present the clinical and genetic aspects of a patient carrying a constitutional NF1 gene mutation and whose neurocutaneous manifestations suggested a NF type 2 (NF2).

Methods: A 55-year-old woman presented with headache and deterioration of vision.

Importance of Susceptibility Rate of 'the First' Isolate: Evidence of Real-World Data.

For proper antimicrobial therapy, cumulative antibiograms should be representative of geographic region and be accurate. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines recommend that only the first isolates (FI) of a species per patient are used when reporting cumulative antibiograms. However, >50% of hospitals in the United States report antibiograms of all isolates.

Preanalytical Errors in the Central Laboratory of a University Hospital Based on the Analysis of Year-Round Data.

Background: Preanalytical errors cause a decrease in the accuracy of clinical laboratory results. We analyzed preanalytical errors (preAEs) made in the clinical laboratory of a university hospital.

Methods: All samples received in a centralized laboratory from January 1, to December 31, 2018, were analyzed retrospectively.

Clinical Utility of HIV-1/2 Ab Immunochromatographic Assay as an Additive Test for HIV Screen-Positive Patients.

Objective: Frequent false-positive results of current HIV screening occur due to its high sensitivity. These false-positives may delay subsequent clinical decision making. In this study, we aim to determine the usefulness of additional immunochromatographic assay (ICA) in hospitals using fourth-generation HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab assays followed by western blot (WB) confirmation.

Real-time display of laboratory testing status improves satisfaction levels in an emergency department: A pilot study.

Background: Clinicians need to know timelines of requested laboratory tests to provide effective patient management. We developed a real-time laboratory progress checking system and measured its effectiveness using appropriate indicators in an emergency room setting.

Methods: In our original in-house health information system display, blank spaces, which were generated for test results when tests were ordered, remained empty until the final results reported.

Evaluation of the new Beckman Coulter Access hsTnI: 99th percentile upper reference limits according to age and sex in the Korean population.

Background: Defining the 99th percentile upper reference limits (URL) of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is critical because it is clinically important in determining myocardial injury, and is variable among reagents, age, sex, or races. The analytical performance of the new, high- sensitivity reagent Beckman Coulter Access hsTnI was evaluated, and its 99th percentile URL was determined in the Korean population.

Methods: Analytical performances of Access hsTnI assay were evaluated including imprecision and limit of measurements.

Different parental origins of supernumerary X chromosomes in brothers with Klinefelter syndrome: A case report.

Rationale: Recurrence of Klinefelter syndrome (KS) in non-twin brothers is very rare. This study examined the inheritance pattern of supernumerary X chromosomes in non-twin brothers.

Patient Concerns: A 16-year-old man presented with small-sized testicles.

Hypoglycemic potential of whole green tea: water-soluble green tea polysaccharides combined with green tea extract delays digestibility and intestinal glucose transport of rice starch.

Green tea is being studied extensively for its postprandial hypoglycemic effect due to its abundant catechins. Along with catechins, water-soluble green tea polysaccharides are also currently gaining attention due to their natural hypoglycemic properties. The current study investigated the combinational effect of green tea extract (GTE) and crude green tea polysaccharides (CTP) in inhibiting glucose transport after digestion of rice starch, using an in vitro digestion model with a Caco-2 cell.

Kallmann syndrome with a Tyr113His PROKR2 mutation.

Rational: Kallmann syndrome (KS) is a genetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone deficiency associated with hyposmia or anosmia and characterized by various modes of inheritance.

Patient Concerns: A 16-year-old male did not reach puberty and was associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and anosmia. His magnetic resonance imaging of brain revealed the absence of the olfactory bulb.

Evaluation of the Elecsys(®) Anti-HCV II assay for routine hepatitis C virus screening of different Asian Pacific populations and detection of early infection.

Background: Early diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is essential to allow appropriate treatment and prevent transmission.

Objectives: To evaluate the Elecsys(®) Anti-HCV II assay as a routine screening assay in Asia using a large number of samples from different Asian Pacific populations and compare its performance with other HCV assays routinely used in the region.

Study Design: The sensitivity and specificity of the Elecsys(®) Anti-HCV II assay were determined using routine hospital samples and compared with at least one of the following comparator assays at nine independent centers: ARCHITECT™ Anti-HCV; Serodia(®)-HCV Particle Agglutination; Vitros(®) ECi Anti-HCV; Elecsys(®) Anti-HCV; ADVIA Centaur(®) HCV; InTec(®) HCV EIA; or Livzon(®) Anti-HCV.

Single-nucleotide polymorphism PCR for the detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and determination of macrolide resistance in respiratory samples.

The aim of this study was to develop a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) PCR assay to be performed directly on respiratory samples for the simultaneous detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and its 23S rRNA gene mutations, which are responsible for macrolide resistance. For multiplex SNP PCR, two outer primers for amplification of the 23S rRNA gene and two mutant-specific primers for the discrimination of single base changes were designed. A total of 73M.

Performance evaluation of ExiStation HBV diagnostic system for hepatitis B virus DNA quantitation.

The performance of a recently developed real-time PCR system, the ExiStation HBV diagnostic system, for quantitation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in human blood was evaluated. The detection limit, reproducibility, cross-reactivity, and interference were evaluated as measures of analytical performance. For the comparison study, 100 HBV-positive blood samples and 100 HBV-negative samples from Korean Blood Bank Serum were used, and the results of the ExiStation HBV system showed good correlation with those obtained using the Cobas TaqMan (r2=0.

Differences in the frequency of 23S rRNA gene mutations in Mycoplasma pneumoniae between children and adults with community-acquired pneumonia: clinical impact of mutations conferring macrolide resistance.

We investigated the frequency and clinical significance of macrolide resistance in adult and pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia from a Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. The frequency of the A2063G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene was significantly higher in children than in adults (61.3% [19/31] and 13.