The most important application of blood group genotyping by molecular genetics is the prediction of fetal RhD phenotype in pregnant women with anti-D, in order to assess the risk of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. This diagnostic test performed on cell-free fetal DNA in the maternal plasma, is now a routine procedure in some countries. High-throughput modifications of this form of fetal D-typing would be valuable for testing fetuses of all D-negative pregnant women to avoid unnecessary antenatal treatment with anti-D immunoglobulin in the 40% of D-negative pregnant women with a D-negative fetus. The results of trials in Bristol and Amsterdam suggest that such routine testing is feasible and accurate. 相似文献
Introduction: Fungal diseases are a threat to human health. Therapies targeting the fungus continue to lead to disappointing results. Strategies targeting the host response represent unexplored opportunities for innovative treatments. To do so rationally requires the identification and neat delineation of critical mechanistic pathways that underpin human antifungal immunity. The study of humans with single-gene defects of the immune system, i.e. inborn errors of immunity (IEIs), provides a foundation for these paradigms.
Areas covered: A systematic literature search in PubMed, Scopus, and abstracts of international congresses was performed to review the history of genetic resistance/susceptibility to fungi and identify IEIs associated with fungal diseases. Immunologic mechanisms from relevant IEIs were integrated with current definitions and understandings of mycoses to establish a framework to map out critical immunobiological pathways of human antifungal immunity.
Expert opinion: Specific immune responses non-redundantly govern susceptibility to their corresponding mycoses. Defining these molecular pathways will guide the development of host-directed immunotherapies that precisely target distinct fungal diseases. These findings will pave the way for novel strategies in the treatment of these devastating infections. 相似文献
Summary In the diagnosis of metabolic myopathies the use of biochemical methods, in addition to morphological examination of muscle biopsies, is often necessary in order to identify a specific metabolic defect. In order to narrow down the spectrum of biochemical methods, extensive clinical investigation and morphological examination, including histology, enzyme histochemistry and electromicroscopy if necessary have to be done beforehand. Patients are classified in the following groups: 1) progressive muscular weakness and/or muscle wasting with storage of a) glycogen, b) lipid or c) mitochondrial alterations; 2) recurrent rhabdomyolysis induced by fasting or exercise a) with glycogen storage or b) without any specific morphological alterations. The spectrum of metabolic defects comprises disorders of glycogen and glucose metabolism (deficiency of acid maltase, debranching and branching enzyme, phosphorylase, phosphofructokinase and other glycolytic enzymes), lipid metabolism (carnitine deficiency, carnitine palmitoyl transferase deficiency), mitochondria (respiratory chain disorders, pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency) and others such as adenylate deaminase deficiency. In some of these e.g. infantile acid maltase deficiency and mitochondriopathies, it is clinically more important when organs other than muscle are affected; however, muscle biopsy is a useful substrate for diagnosis of these metabolic disorders.
Mit Unterstützung durch die DFG und die Friedrich Baur Stiftung, München 相似文献
BackgroundMedication reconciliation has become standard care to prevent medication transfer errors. However, this process is time-consuming but could be more efficient when patients are engaged in medication reconciliation via a patient portal.ObjectivesTo explore whether medication reconciliation by the patient via a patient portal is noninferior to medication reconciliation by a pharmacy technician.Design (including intervention)Open randomized controlled noninferiority trial. Patients were randomized between medication reconciliation via a patient portal (intervention) or medication reconciliation by a pharmacy technician at the preoperative screening (usual care).Setting and ParticipantsPatients scheduled for elective surgery using at least 1 chronic medication were included.MeasuresThe primary endpoint was the number of medication discrepancies compared to the electronic nationwide medication record system (NMRS). For the secondary endpoint, time investment of the pharmacy technician for the medication reconciliation interview and patient satisfaction were studied. Noninferiority was analyzed with an independent t test, and the margin was set at 20%.ResultsA total of 499 patients were included. The patient portal group contained 241 patients; the usual care group contained 258 patients. The number of medication discrepancies was 2.6 ± 2.5 in the patient portal group and 2.8 ± 2.7 in the usual care group. This was not statistically different and within the predefined noninferiority margin. Patients were satisfied with the use of the patient portal tool. Also, the use of the portal can save on average 6.8 minutes per patient compared with usual care.Conclusions and ImplicationsMedication reconciliation using a patient portal is noninferior to medication reconciliation by a pharmacy technician with respect to medication discrepancies, and saves time in the medication reconciliation process. Future studies should focus on identifying patient characteristics for successful implementation of patient portal medication reconciliation. 相似文献