Oxidative modifications impair albumin quantification.

Background: Hypoalbuminemia is a measure of malnutrition, inflammation and a predictor of mortality in uremia. It is controversial whether albumin levels per se are associated with the clinical outcomes in uremic patients. The co-occurrence of hypoalbuminemia and oxidative stress in hemodialysis (HD) patients led us to hypothesize that oxidative modifications of albumin decrease its detection and influence albumin quantification.

Epoetin-alpha: preserving kidney function via attenuation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte priming.

Background: Polymorphonuclear leukocyte priming and low grade inflammation are related to severity of kidney disease. Erythropoietin-receptor is present on PMNLs. OBJECTIVESxi: To evaluate the effect of 20 weeks of epoetin-alpha treatment on PMNL characteristics in relation to the rate of kidney function deterioration in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Are all troponin assays equivalent in the emergency department?

Introduction: Cardiac-specific troponins (cTn) are recently-introduced, sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury, and their absence should allow to safely exclude a coronary event. Various assays are commercially available but the relative advantage of each is not clear. Our objective was to compare the reliability of the two most commonly used troponin assays (cTnI and cTnT), in the emergency department (ED) for clinical decision when myocardial infarction (MI) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is suspected.

Cord blood lipids concentrations and their relation to body size at birth: possible link between intrauterine life and adult diseases.

Umbilical plasma levels of lipoproteins-cholesterol were measured in 480 normal newborns delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery at 39 to 40 weeks of gestation. Plasma concentrations of lipids were related to fetal weight, abdominal and head circumference, and ponderal index at birth. Plasma concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) correlated negatively with abdominal circumference (AC), birth weight, and head circumference of newborns (p < 0.

Beta-HCG concentration in peritoneal fluid and serum in ectopic and intrauterine pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate the significance of beta-HCG levels in peritoneal fluid and serum in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN SETTING: Obstetrics and Gynecology department of a regional general hospital.

Subjects: Sixty-two women who presented with a differential diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy vs.