Head-to-head comparison of the diagnostic accuracies of BD Veritor™ System RSV and Quidel® Sofia® RSV FIA systems for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) diagnosis

BackgroundRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common causes of severe lower respiratory tract disease among infants and young children. BD Veritor™ System RSV (BD) and Quidel^® Sofia^® RSV FIA (QD) are the new generation lateral flow digital immunoassay (DIA) tests with an instrumented read for the qualitative detection of RSV viral antigens.ObjectiveTo compare the diagnostic accuracies of BD and QD for RSV detection using fresh nasopharyngeal aspirates and nasopharyngeal swab specimens collected in universal transport media during 2013–2014 respiratory season.Study designThe two DIA tests were performed simultaneously on randomly selected specimens on a weekly basis during the RSV season until 200 fresh remnant specimens were enrolled. Real-time RT-PCR assay results were used to compare and evaluate the performance of both RSV DIA assays.ResultsAmong 200 specimens tested, RSV real-time RT-PCR assay detected RSV in 104 samples, while QD detected 84 samples and BD detected 74 samples as positive. The overall sensitivity for detection of RSV in comparison to PCR was 71.15% (61.3–79.4) for BD and 80.77% (71.6–87.6) for QD system (P = 0.36). The specificity was 100% (95.2–100) for both systems. The work flow analysis revealed that the overall specimen processing time was significantly lower for BD as compared with the QD assay.ConclusionsIn comparison with the real-time PCR, the QD system showed a higher sensitivity than that of the BD system, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.36). Both BD and QD systems were found comparable in terms of specificity.     

Diagnostic validity (sensitivity and specificity) of panoramic X-rays in osteoarthrosis of the temporomandibular joint

Objective:

To establish the diagnostic validity of panoramic X-rays (PRx) in temporomandibular osteoarthrosis (OA) using the clinical and imaging criteria (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) as gold standards.

Methods:

Eighty-four patients with full clinical records (RDC/TMD), PRx, and MRI scans were selected. Two stomatologists evaluated the PRx for OA. The MRI findings were derived from the radiologist report. Intra/inter-examiner concordance was established. The diagnostic concordance between clinical signs and MRI was determined. Both were used as gold standards to calculate the validity of PRx in OA.

Results:

The diagnostic validity of PRx with MRI as gold standard was sensitivity?=?69·0% and specificity?=?67·9%. The diagnostic validity of PRx with clinical criteria as gold standard was sensitivity?=?61·6% and specificity =?57·9%.

Discussion:

Panoramic X-rays have scant diagnostic validity in temporomandibular osteoarthrosis when taking MRI or clinical criteria of RDC/TMD as gold standards.     

慢性鼻窦炎患者鼻腔(脓性)分泌物的细菌谱及其药敏分析

目的:探讨慢性化脓性鼻窦炎的菌种分布情况及药物敏感性。方法:收集89例慢性化脓性鼻窦炎患者的鼻腔脓性分泌物,进行培养基培养,采用纸片扩散法(Kirby-Bauer,KB法)进行药物敏感性监测,分析这些菌株对头孢唑啉、头孢他啶、头孢吡肟、亚胺培南、美罗培南、头孢哌酮舒巴坦、环丙沙星等抗菌药物的敏感性,万古霉素用MIC法进行定量分析。结果:89例慢性化脓性鼻窦炎患者的鼻道黏脓性分泌物标本经送检分析发现,80例患者检出细菌,阳性检出率为89.89%(80/89);80例患者中共检出82株细菌,共计15种细菌,其中1例患者的鼻道黏脓性分泌物标本检出2株细菌。排除院内感染,在检出的15种细菌中金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠埃希杆菌、表皮葡萄球菌、铜绿假单胞菌、产气肠杆菌等5种细菌占据前5位,分别占18.29%、14.63%、14.63%、13.41%、10.98%。金黄色葡萄球菌的药敏检查结果显示所有的金黄色葡萄球菌对万古霉素敏感,敏感率为100.00%;而对头孢唑啉、头孢他啶、头孢吡肟、亚胺培南、美罗培南、头孢哌酮舒巴坦、环丙沙星等抗菌的敏感率均为0.00%。所有的表皮葡萄球菌对亚胺培南、美罗培南、万古霉素、头孢哌酮舒巴坦均敏感,敏感率为100.00%;其次是头孢唑啉,敏感率为83.33%,而对头孢他啶、头孢吡肟、环丙沙星的敏感率较差,均在30.00%以下。大肠埃希杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌及产气肠杆菌等革兰氏阴性菌均对亚胺培南、美罗培南敏感,敏感率为100.00%。结论:慢性化脓性鼻窦炎患者多伴有细菌感染,主要致病菌包括表金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠埃希杆菌、表皮葡萄球菌、铜绿假单胞菌、产气肠杆菌等,细菌培养阳性对万古霉素、亚胺培南、美罗培南、头孢哌酮舒巴坦、头孢唑啉等抗菌药物敏感,在进行抗菌治疗前应密切监测抗菌谱的改变,以便及时调整用药。     

Foxp3表达与老年颈动脉粥样硬化的关系

目的　探讨老年颈动脉粥样硬化与外周血叉头翼状螺旋转录因子p3（Foxp3）表达以及高敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）之间的关系。方法　对66例老年颈动脉粥样硬化患者和51例健康对照者分别利用流式细胞仪检测外周血Foxp3,速率散射比浊法检测hs-CRP。结果　老年颈动脉粥样硬化患者外周血CD4^＋CD25^＋Foxp3^＋调节性T淋巴细胞显著减少,经瑞舒伐他汀钙治疗后较治疗前明显增加;颈动脉粥样硬化患者血清hs-CRP明显高于对照组,有颈动脉斑块的患者血清hs-CRP显著高于颈动脉内中膜增厚患者;将CD4^＋CD25^＋Foxp3^＋与hs-CRP进行相关性分析,两者之间呈负相关。结论　老年颈动脉粥样硬化与外周血Foxp3表达、hs-CRP密切相关。外周血Foxp3表达、hs-CRP在老年人颈动脉粥样硬化、斑块形成的发生发展中起着重要的作用,控制这些危险因素有益于控制和减少脑卒中的发生。     

血清细胞黏附分子对脓毒症急性肾损伤的预测价值研究

背景　细胞黏附分子是急性重症脓毒症造成器官功能障碍（例如肾损伤）的生物标志物,但目前尚不明确血清细胞黏附分子是否对脓毒症急性肾损伤（AKI）的预测有临床价值。　目的　研究血清细胞黏附分子对脓毒症AKI的预测价值。方法　选择2016年1月—2017年12月南通大学附属医院急诊重症监护室（EICU）的84例脓毒症患者为研究对象,根据AKI的诊断标准将患者分为AKI组和非AKI组。入院后24 h内收集患者的临床资料,计算患者急性生理学和慢性健康状况（APACHE）Ⅱ评分、序贯器官衰竭评估（SOFA）评分、查尔森共病指数（CCI）评分,检测患者炎性指标〔C反应蛋白（CRP）、降钙素原（PCT）、乳酸（LAC）〕及血清细胞黏附分子〔细胞间黏附分子-1（ICAM-1）、血管细胞黏附分子-1（VCAM-1）、血小板选择素（P-selectin）、内皮选择素（E-selectin）〕表达水平。采用Pearson相关分析探讨炎性指标、血清细胞黏附分子与AKI严重程度的关系,采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线下面积（AUC）评价炎性指标、血清细胞黏附分子对脓毒症AKI的预测价值。结果　AKI组患者入院后24 h内出现休克、需要机械通气治疗的比例、APACHE Ⅱ评分、SOFA评分、血清肌酐（Scr）、LAC、ICAM-1、VCAM-1、E-selectin水平高于非AKI组（P<0.05）。Pearson相关分析结果显示,E-selectin与Scr呈正相关（r=0.223,P=0.041）。CRP、PCT、LAC、ICAM-1、VCAM-1和E-selectin预测脓毒症AKI的AUC分别为0.523〔95%CI（0.421,0.687）〕、0.637〔95%CI（0.435,0.618）〕、0.609〔95%CI（0.529,0.781）〕、0.702〔95%CI（0.619,0.846）〕,0.661〔95%CI（0.503,0.794）〕、0.774〔95%CI（0.623,0.871）〕,其中,E-selectin的诊断效能最高,其预测脓毒症AKI的最佳截断值为117.2 μg/L（灵敏度79.8%,特异度71.0%）。结论　脓毒症AKI的患者病死率高于脓毒症患者,而E-selectin与AKI的严重程度相关,是预测脓毒症AKI的重要临床标志物。     

甲状腺结节恶性分层系统在社区医院的应用价值研究

背景　甲状腺结节恶性分层系统可以规范甲状腺结节超声诊断,对甲状腺结节诊疗具有重要指导意义,但目前仍缺乏统一的版本。目的　比较Kwak版甲状腺影像报告与数据系统（Kwak TI-RADS）、2015年美国甲状腺学会（ATA）《成年人分化型甲状腺癌诊治指南》（以下简称ATA指南）超声风险分层评估及2017年美国放射学会甲状腺影像与数据系统（ACR TI-RADS）在社区医院甲状腺结节诊断中的应用价值。方法　回顾性分析2012年1月-2018年8月上海市闵行区浦江社区卫生服务中心经上海市浦东新区公利医院手术病理及甲状腺细针抽吸细胞学检查（FNA）证实的825例患者（986个甲状腺结节）的二维超声声像图特征,分别用Kwak TI-RADS、ATA指南超声风险分层评估及ACR TI-RADS进行分类,绘制受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线,评价并比较各风险分层系统对甲状腺结节良恶性鉴别的价值。结果　986个甲状腺结节中,病理及FNA确诊恶性结节479个,良性结节507个。Kwak TI-RADS、ATA指南超声风险分层评估及ACR TI-RADS的ROC曲线下面积（AUC）分别是0.887〔95%CI（0.864,0.909）〕、0.857〔95%CI（0.832,0.882）〕、0.870〔95%CI（0.846,0.895）〕,诊断界值分别为≥4c类、≥高危、≥5类。Kwak TI-RADS、ATA指南超声风险分层评估及ACR TI-RADS在甲状腺结节良恶性鉴别中均有诊断价值（P<0.05）,且Kwak TI-RADS诊断效能优于ATA指南超声风险分层评估及ACR TI-RADS（Z=4.811、2.513,P<0.05）。结论　Kwak TI-RADS、ATA指南超声风险分层评估及ACR TI-RADS在甲状腺良恶性结节的诊断中均有良好价值,前者诊断效能稍优于后两者,且该版本简单明确、易于掌握,适合在基层医院推广。     

Active PAI-1 as marker for venous thromboembolism: Case–control study using a comprehensive panel of PAI-1 and TAFI assays

Background

Both activated Thrombin Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor (TAFI) and active Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) attenuate fibrinolysis and may therefore contribute to the pathophysiology of Venous ThromboEmbolism (VTE). Whether increased TAFI and/or PAI-1 concentrations are associated with VTE is unclear.

Objective

To study an association of impaired fibrinolysis and VTE using a comprehensive panel of in-house developed assays measuring intact TAFI, activation peptide of TAFI (AP-TAFI), PAI-1 antigen, endogenous PAI-1:t-PA complex (PAI-1:t-PA) and active PAI-1 levels in 102 VTE patients and in 113 healthy controls (HC).

Results

Active PAI-1 was significantly higher in VTE patients compared to HC (20.9 [9.6-37.8] ng/ml vs. 6.2 [3.5-9.7] ng/ml, respectively). Active PAI-1 was the best discriminator with an area under the ROC curve and 95% confidence interval (AUROC [95%CI]) of 0.84 [0.79-0.90] compared to 0.75 [0.68-0.72] for PAI-1:t-PA, 0.65 [0.58-0.73] for PAI-1 antigen, 0.62 [0.54-0.69] for AP-TAFI and 0.51 [0.44-0.59] for intact TAFI. Using ROC analysis, we defined an optimal cut-off of 12.8 ng/ml for active PAI-1, with corresponding sensitivity of 71 [61–79] % and specificity of 89 [82–94] %. A lack of association with the time between VTE event and sample collection or with the intake of anticoagulant treatment suggests that active PAI-1 levels are sustainable high in VTE patients.

Conclusions

This case–control study emphasizes the clinical importance of measuring active PAI-1 instead of PAI-1 antigen and identifies active PAI-1 as a potential marker of VTE. Prognostic studies will need to address the clinical significance of active PAI-1 as biomarker.     

A review of the role of electrocardiography in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension

ECG remains the first line method for detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with hypertension. ECG diagnosis of LVH predicts a several-fold increase in age- and risk factor-adjusted cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in asymptomatic patients with essential hypertension. When compared with traditional ECG methods, Cornell voltage product and multifactorial criteria such as the Perugia criterion allow detection of LVH in a higher proportion of subjects while carrying a high attributable risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Hence, traditional interpretation of standard ECG maintains an important role for cardiovascular risk stratification in hypertension.