Multi-center evaluation of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) assay and HbsAg confirmatory assay for the family of Access immunoassay systems

BACKGROUND: Accurate detection of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) is an important aid in the diagnosis of patients infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). A multi-center study was conducted to characterize the performance of the HBsAg assay on the family of Access immunoassay systems from Beckman Coulter. METHODS: The Access HBsAg assay was characterized in a multi-center study and compared to the Abbott AxSYM* and PRISM* HBsAg assays. The bioMérieux VIDAS* assay was used to resolve discrepant results. Reproducibility studies (intra-assay, inter-assay and inter-lot) were performed with pooled serum samples (negative sample, close to cut off, low, medium and high positive samples). Analytical sensitivity, subtype and genotype detection were studied with various commercial panels (SFTS panel, WHO 80/549, WHO 00/588, Teragenix HBV Genotype panel). A panel of recombinant HBsAg mutant proteins was tested to investigate reactivity towards genetic mutations. Clinical sensitivity was verified with seroconversion panels and samples from subjects with known HBV infection. Analytical specificity was studied with samples from patients with potential cross-reactive infections. Clinical specificity was validated among blood donors and a hospitalized population. RESULTS: The imprecision was < 10%. Analytical sensitivity was < or = 0.1 ng/mL (SFTS panel), 0.020 PEI Units/mL (ad panel), 0.024 PEI Units/mL (ay panel), 0.092 IU/mL with WHO 80/549 and 0.056 IU/mL with WHO 00/588. All genotype samples and HBsAg mutants were reactive with the Access HBsAg assay. Seroconversion panels tested showed no significant difference with the reference method. Sensitivity for subjects with known HBV infection was 100%. No interference with potentially cross-reactive infections was observed after confirmatory testing. Specificity was 99.96% (100% after confirmatory testing) in a blood donor population and 99.5% (100% after confirmatory testing) in a hospitalized population. Excellent separation of positive and negative populations was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The Access HBsAg and HBsAg Confirmatory assays meet all clinical and analytical performance requirements of assays for the detection of HBsAg

An algorithm to identify patients with treated type 2 diabetes using medico-administrative data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>National authorities have to follow the evolution of diabetes to implement public health policies. An algorithm was developed to identify patients with treated type 2 diabetes and estimate its annual prevalence in Luxembourg using health insurance claims when no diagnosis code is available.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The DIABECOLUX algorithm was based on patients' age as well as type and number of hypoglycemic agents reimbursed between 1995 and 2006. Algorithm validation was performed using the results of a national study based on medical data. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were estimated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The sensitivity of the DIABECOLUX algorithm was found superior to 98.2%. Between 2000 and 2006, 22,178 patients were treated for diabetes in Luxembourg, among whom 21,068 for type 2 diabetes (95%). The prevalence was estimated at 3.79% in 2006 and followed an increasing linear trend during the period. In 2005, the prevalence was low for young age classes and increased rapidly from 40 to 70 for male and 80 for female, reaching a peak of, respectively 17.0% and 14.3% before decreasing.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The DIABECOLUX algorithm is relevant to identify treated type 2 diabetes patients. It is reproducible and should be transferable to every country using medico-administrative databases not including diagnosis codes. Although undiagnosed patients and others with lifestyle recommendations only were not considered in this study, this algorithm is a cheap and easy-to-use tool to inform health authorities. Further studies will use this tool with the aim of improving the quality of health care dedicated to diabetic patients in Luxembourg.</p

Drug safety of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone in France: a study using the French PharmacoVigilance database

International audienceBackgroundThiazolidinediones (TZDs), rosiglitazone (RGZ) and pioglitazone (PGZ) are widely used as hypoglycemic drugs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of our study was to investigate the profile of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to TZDs and to investigate potential risk factors of these ADRs.MethodsType 2 diabetic patients were identified from the French Database of PharmacoVigilance (FPVD) between 2002 and 2006. We investigated ADR related to TZD, focusing on 4 ADR: edema, heart failure, myocardial infarction and hepatitis corresponding to specific WHO-ART terms.ResultsAmong a total of 99,284 adult patients in the FPVD, 2295 reports concerned type 2 diabetic patients (2.3% of the whole database), with 161 (7%) exposed to TZDs. The frequency of edema and cardiac failure was significantly higher with TZDs than in other patients (18% and 7.4% versus 0.8% and 0.1% respectively, p ConclusionsThiazolidinediones exposure is associated with an increased risk of edema and heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes even when recommendations for use are respected. In contrast, the risk of hepatic reactions and myocardial infarction with this class of drugs seems to be similar to other hypoglycemic agents

La base de données SYLVESTRE au service de la qualité et de l’expertise en radioécologie à l’IRSN

SYLVESTRE est une base de données de l’IRSN permettant la valorisation, l’exploitation et le stockage des données ayant trait aux mesures de radioactivité réalisées sur des échantillons de l’environnement. Constamment alimentée et améliorée depuis sa création en 1991, elle constitue aujourd’hui un outil essentiel au service de la qualité. Les utilisateurs ont un accès facile, via le réseau interne de l’IRSN, à l’interface développée afin de répondre au mieux aux différents besoins : introduction des données ayant trait aux prélèvements, aux préparations et aux mesures, exportations de pans de données à des fins de vérifications ou d’expertises. Le souci constant d’amélioration des fonctionnalités et de minimisation des saisies ou des recopies manuelles de données dans la base a conduit à mettre en place plusieurs outils ou programmes périphériques (tablettes numériques de terrain, étiquetages codes-barres des échantillons, automatisation de requêtes multicritères, …)

The risk of cancer attributable to diagnostic medical radiation: Estimation for France in 2015

International audienceAlthough medical ionizing radiation (IR) has clear clinical benefits, it is an established carcinogen. Our study estimates the number of new cancer cases in France in 2015 attributable to IR exposure from medical procedures. Exposures from external (X-rays, CT scans, interventional radiology) and internal (nuclear medicine) sources were considered. We used 2007 national frequencies of diagnostic examinations by sex and age to estimate the lifetime organ dose exposure adjusted for changes in the use of such procedures over time. The Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation VII risk models were used to estimate the corresponding excess cancer risk, assuming an average latency period of 10 years. Additionally, we used cancer incidence data from the French Cancer Registries Network. Of the 346,000 estimated new cancer cases in adults in France in 2015, 2300 cases (940 among men and 1360 among women) were attributable to diagnostic IR, representing 0.7% of all new cancer cases (0.5% for men and 0.9% for women). The leading cancers attributable to medical IR were female breast (n = 560 cases), lung (n = 500 cases) and colon (n = 290 cases) cancers. Compared to other risk factors, the contribution of medical IR to the cancer burden is small, and the benefits largely outweigh its harms. However, some of these IR-associated cancer cases may be preventable through dose optimization of and enhanced justification for diagnostic examinations. © 2019 UIC

Assessing patients&amp;rsquo; satisfaction with anti-TNF&amp;alpha; treatment in Crohn&amp;rsquo;s disease: qualitative steps of the development of a new questionnaire

Claire Marant1, Benoit Arnould1, Alexia Marrel1, C&amp;eacute;deric Spizak1, Jean-Fr&amp;eacute;d&amp;eacute;ric Colombel2, Patrick Faure3, Herv&amp;eacute; Hagege4, Marc Lemann5&amp;dagger;, St&amp;eacute;phane Nahon6, Gilbert Tucat7, Luc Vandromme8, Emmanuel Thibout9, G&amp;eacute;rard Goldfarb91Mapi Values, Patient-Reported Outcomes, 27 rue de la Villette, Lyon, France; 2Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department, H&amp;ocirc;pital Claude Huriez, Lille, France; 3Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department, Clinique Saint-Jean du Languedoc, Gastrologie, Toulouse, France; 4Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal, Cr&amp;eacute;teil, France; 5Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department, H&amp;ocirc;pital Saint Louis, Paris, France; 6Hepatology and Gastroenterology Department, Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal, Le Raincy Montfermeil, France; 7Gastroenterologist, Clinical practice, Paris, France; 8Gastroenterologist, Clinique de Courlancy, Reims, France; 9Abbott France, Rungis, France &amp;dagger;Deceased.Purpose: To develop a self-administered questionnaire assessing patients&amp;rsquo; satisfaction with treatments in Crohn&amp;rsquo;s disease for use in clinical research and epidemiological studies.Patients and methods: Semi-directive interviews (16) were conducted with patients with severe Crohn&amp;rsquo;s disease treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF&amp;alpha;). Transcripts were analyzed and concepts related to satisfaction with treatment were extracted and organized into a model. Items were generated using patients&amp;rsquo; words. The resulting test version was tested for relevance and comprehension with 7 patients and revised accordingly; the new version was tested with 5 other patients and revised to provide the pilot version. A clinician advisory board was involved at each milestone of the development.Results: The test questionnaire assessed treatment satisfaction through 67 items, organized into 5 sections: treatment efficacy, side-effects, convenience and constraints, overall impact, and satisfaction. Conceptual content of the questionnaire includes comparison with prior state and with expectations, satisfaction, acceptability, and intentions. The questionnaire was generally well accepted and understood by patients; few modifications were made in the structure and item formulation. After the second round of comprehension tests, the pilot version contained 62 items; the questionnaire was named Satisfaction of PAtients in Crohn&amp;rsquo;s diseasE (SPACE&amp;copy;).Conclusion: The questionnaire is a unique tool to assess treatment satisfaction in patients with Crohn&amp;rsquo;s disease. A scoring and validation study is currently being performed to finalize and establish its scoring, as well as its psychometric properties.Keywords: Crohn&amp;rsquo;s disease, anti-TNF treatment, questionnaire, patient satisfaction, patient-reported outcom