Evaluation of BT uricell1280 automated urine sediment analyzer performance

Fully automated urine analyzers are generally preferred in laboratories with high throughput. When these systems are used; especially the sediment analysis should be made by a well-skilled technician before reporting to discriminate well the interferences (like yeast or crystals) from erythrocytes and leukocytes. The purpose of the present study is to detect the correlation of erythrocyte and leukocyte numbers without any corrections in sediment field images of BT Uricell 1280 (BT products, Izmir, Turkey) fully automated urine analyzer with manual microscopy reports. A total of 528 first morning urine samples were studied by both BT Uricell 1280 and manual microscopy concurrently. The degree of concordance (Kappa coefficient) were evaluated. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value for the BT Uricell 1280 compared to manual microscopic examination were assessed. Precision and carry over studies were also performed. The degree of concordance of erythrocyte and leukocyte counts in microscopy of 528 urine specimens with manual microscopy was found to be 0.42 and 0.52 respectively (kappa coefficient). The sensitivity and specificity values of RBC and WBC were calculated for BT Uricell 1280 as 62.6%, 91.1%, 77.6%, 88.8%, respectively. The results of carry over analysis for both RBC and WBC were 0 %. The sediment microscopy analysis of erythrocytes and leukocytes with BT Uricell 1280 without any corrections presented moderate correlation with manual microscopy. A better correlation can be achieved by a more detailed examination of field images of the analyzer. [Med-Science 2018; 7(3.000): 503-6

Evaluation of Dirui® H13-Cr and H12-800MA strips for albuminuria detection

Increased urine albumin excretion is suggested to be an early marker of glomerular damage. Evaluation of a tests performance characteristics such as diagnostic sensitivity and specifictiy is a necessity before application into routine practice. To our knowledge up to now there is no study evaluating Dirui test strips for albuminuria determination. Therefore the objective of this study was to test these strips for agreement with the established method used in our routine laboratory. Freshly collected 177 urine specimens were included in the study. Strips were read on instruments Dirui H-500 and Dirui H-800 using reflectance photometry. For DiruiH13-Cr strip albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and for DiruiH12-800MA strip albumin determinations were compared with the analyses performed using immunoturbidimetry and kinetic Jaffe method. Sensitivity values for estimated ACR using DiruiH13-Cr strip and albumin concentration using DiruiH12-800MA strip were calculated as 80%, 72%, respectively. Specificity values were as; 71% for Dirui H13-Cr strip and 78% for Dirui H12-800MA strip. Screening tests using urine test strips should be validated before acceptance in the routine use. Dirui strips evaluated in this study seem to have a lower sensitivity than suggested and excess number of false negatives seems to limit utility of these strips. [Med-Science 2018; 7(3.000): 532-5

Stability of intact parathyroid hormone in serum and plasma samples stored at different conditions

Obtaining suitable results unaffected by preanalytical factors is crucial for laboratory test results. Measurement of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is essential in the evaluation and management of calcium metabolism disorders. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of preanalytical factors such as sample type, storage time and temperature on PTH measurement in the same protocol. Blood samples were collected from 30 healthy volunteers into Serum Separator Tubes (SST), Barricor plasma tubes and EDTA aprotinine tubes. Serum and plasma were analysed immediately after collection simultaneously in the same batch and stored at room temperature RT (250C) and at (40C) for 24 and 48 hours until reanalysis for PTH on DXI800 autoanalyser (Beckman Coulter, USA). Changes in different tubes under different storage conditions were recorded and compared to each other. Clinical decision levels were estimated using analytical desirable bias and reference change value(RCV). No difference was found between tubes in terms of intact PTH levels. From a statistical standpoint, intact PTH level was no longer stable after storage for 24, and 48, hours at 4 C° and 25 C° in both serum tubes and barricor tubes. However, the variations especially in barricor tubes were under analytical desirable bias limits at 4 C0 for 24 hours (-10.48%), and 48 hours (-15.42%) hours and the changes were also not clinically significant. Our results have shown that Barricor tubes are stable at 4 C° up to 48 hours.The stability of the measurements were both analytically and clinically acceptable. [Med-Science 2022; 11(2.000): 603-6

Gender Identity and Gender Role in DSD Patients Raised as Females: A Preliminary Outcome Study

Gender identity and gender role are expected to be consistent with gender assignment for optimal DSD management outcome. To our knowledge, our study is the first to attempt evaluation of gender related outcomes in Turkish DSD patients.After receiving institutional ethical board approval and subject (or parent) informed consent, subjects with DSD raised as girls (22 patients 46 XX DSD,11 patients 46XY DSD) answered 566 questions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) questionnaire including 60- item Masculinity-Femininity (MF) subscale which was the focus in this study. Controls (n:50) were females similar to the probands in age, level of education, relationship status and having a job or not also answered all questions. The answers were evaluated by a trained psychologist(D.I.) on MMPI .For statistical purposes, 7 findings were obtained from the data related to the MF subscale from the patients and controls. Of these 7 findings (S1-S7), two were associated with masculinity (S3-S4) and another two were associated with femininity (S5-S6)In DSD patients, the percentages of masculinity findings were significantly higher when compared to controls (p< 0.001 and p< 0.001 for S3 and S4 respectively). In controls, the percentages of femininity findings were significantly higher when compared to DSD females (p< 0.001 and p< 0.001 for S5 and S6 respectively).There was no significant difference between 46XX DSD patients and 46XY DSD patients with respect to the percentage of any of the 7 findings. Two patients requested gender change to male;only these two patients had the finding stating that sexual impulses could come to existence as actions(S7).In conclusion efforts to identify modifiable factors with negative impact and thus modifying them, and professional guidance may be important in minimizing the encountered gender related problems in DSD patient

BTD Gene Mutations in Biotinidase Deficiency: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation

Objective: To identify the biotinidase (BTD) gene mutations in patients with biotinidase deficiency in our region; and to determine the phenotype-genotype correlations in the presence of clinical findings