Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, Cardiovascular Events and Mortality Across Age Groups Among Individuals Older Than 60 Years in Southern Europe.

Introduction And Objectives: Individuals with a decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are at increased risk of all-cause (ACM) and cardiovascular mortality; there is ongoing debate about whether older individuals with eGFR 45 to 59mL/min/1.73 m are also at increased risk. We evaluated the association between eGFR and ACM and cardiovascular events (CVE) in people aged 60 to 74 and ≥ 75 years in a population with a low coronary disease incidence.

Estimation of glomerular filtration rate by MDRD-4 IDMS and CKD-EPI in individuals of 60 years of age or older in primary care.

Objective: To compare the prevalence and classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in accordance with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by MDRD-4 IDMS and CKD-EPI in individuals ≥ 60 years of age in primary care.

Material And Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive observational study. Subjects ≥ 60 years treated at 40 primary care centres with serum creatinine determination conducted between 1 January and 31 December 2010 at a single centralised laboratory.

Quality indicators and specifications for key processes in clinical laboratories: a preliminary experience.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify process indicators for the three phases of laboratory activity and their corresponding quality specifications in our setting (primary care centers, and second- and third-level hospitals that provide public healthcare services in Catalonia).

Methods: Every 2 months, working group members met to present data obtained for quality indicators for the current processes in their laboratories. The results collected were for indicators recorded monthly from 2005 and for indicators recorded less frequently from 2004.

Multicentre physiological reference values for the concentration of creatininium in plasma and diagnostic specificity of glomerular filtration rate estimated with the MDRD equation.

Background: The National Kidney Disease Education Program recommends that clinical laboratories, when asked for an estimation of glomerular filtration rate in a patient by means of the "four-variable" Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study equation, also provide the measurement result for creatininium concentration in plasma and the appropriate reference interval. On the other hand, clinical laboratories seeking accreditation for compliance with ISO 15189:2003 need to demonstrate that the physiological reference intervals communicated to all users of laboratory services are appropriate for the patient population served, and for their measurement systems.

Methods: Ten clinical laboratories in different regions of Spain collaborated in identifying reference individuals and producing reference values for the concentration of creatininium in plasma using RD/Hitachi Modular Analytics analysers, and for the volume rate of glomerular filtrate in kidneys (glomerular filtration rate), estimated with the "four-variable" MDRD Study equation.

Multicentre physiological reference intervals for serum concentrations of immunoglobulins A, G and M, complement C3c and C4 measured with Tina-Quant reagents systems.

Background: Clinical laboratories seeking accreditation for compliance with ISO 15189:2003 need to demonstrate that the physiological reference intervals communicated to all users of the laboratory service are appropriate for the patient population served and for the measurement systems used. In the case of immunological quantities, few articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals.

Methods: A total of 21 clinical laboratories in different regions of Spain collaborated in identifying reference individuals and determining adult reference intervals for some immunological quantities measured using RD/Hitachi Modular Analytics analysers and Tina-Quant reagent systems.