Use of the reticulocyte channel warmed to 41°C of the XN-9000 analyzer in samples with the presence of cold agglutinins.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare data obtained from the reticulocyte channel (RET channel) heated to 41°C with those obtained from impedance channel (I-Channel) at room temperature in the samples with the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)<370g/L and in samples with the MCHC>370g/L, in the presence of cold agglutinins.

Methods: In this study, 60 blood samples (group 1) with the MCHC<370g/L (without cold agglutinins) and 78 blood samples (group 2) with the MCHC>370g/L (with cold agglutinins) were used to compare the two analytical channels of the XN-9000 analyzer in different preanalytical conditions. The parameters evaluated in both groups were the following: red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), mean cell volume (MCV), RBC-most frequent volume (R-MFV), mean hemoglobin concentration (MCH) and mean cellular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC).

Evaluation of microalbuminuria in patients with erectile dysfunction.

Introduction: The recent sophisticated diagnostic procedures aimed at identifying the exact cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) are often complicated in clinical application, invasive, or highly expensive. Microalbuminuria, a test easy to perform and of low cost, is a marker of extensive endothelial dysfunction, and it has been suggested to be linked to ED.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the eventual role of microalbuminuria in differentiating patients with arteriogenic and non arteriogenic ED.

Intra-operative testing for parathyroid hormone: the Central Laboratory option.

Background: Intra-operative PTH testing in the operating theatre has proven to be an accurate way to verify the removal of all pathological parathyroid tissue in primary hyperparathyroidism. Its limitation is the high cost. An alternative, more cost-effective procedure is proposed: intra-operative PTH dosage at the Central Laboratory.