Search results for "immunoassay"
showing 10 items of 266 documents
Alterations in circadian rhythm of serum thyrotropin in critically ill patients.
1992
To evaluate the 24-h pattern of serum thyrotropin (TSH) in critically ill patients, we measured serum concentrations of TSH in blood samples collected every 2 h for 24 h from nine patients (six with malignancy, two with liver cirrhosis, one with chronic renal failure), who had subnormal levels of both triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), in the absence of history, symptoms or signs of thyroid disease. Analysis of the data, performed using a second-order inferential statistical methodology for rhythmometry (cosinor method), demonstrated that critically ill patients still had daily oscillations of serum TSH which significantly adapted to the function approximating the circadian rhythms (…
The prognostic value of thyroid function tests in predominantly non-alcoholic cirrhotic patients: A prospective investigation
1985
The prognostic value of thyroid function parameters (T3, T4, rT3 and the rT3: T3 ratio) and common liver tests (serum bilirubin, albumin and prothrombin activity) was investigated on hospital admission in 100 consecutive patients with predominantly non-alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Twenty-nine out of 100 patients had a well compensated cirrhosis and their mean values of thyroid tests were similar to those of 40 healthy controls. A low T3 syndrome was found in the remaining 71 decompensated patients. In these thyroid function parameters were correlated with serum bilirubin and prothrombin activity. Moreover mean values of all thyroid and liver tests, except serum albumin, were significantly dif…
Cathepsin D serum mass concentrations in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and/or liver cirrhosis
1996
Cathepsin D serum mass concentrations were determined by enzyme immunoassay in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 51) and/or liver cirrhosis (n = 92) or benign steatosis (n = 16) and correlated with some biochemical and clinical properties of these diseases. Increased cathepsin D serum mass concentrations (P < 0.001) were observed in all these groups of patients as compared to normal subjects (n = 98). However, patients with steatosis had serum mass concentrations of this enzyme significantly lower (mean 2—3 fold) than those measured in cancer patients (P < 0.05) or cirrhotic patients (P < 0.001). Interestingly, significantly higher cathepsin D serum mass concentrations (m…
Induction of antitoxin responses in Clostridium-difficile-infected patients compared to healthy blood donors
2016
According to the literature Clostridium difficile antitoxins are present in up to 66% of humans. In a survey of ∼400 plasma samples from healthy blood donors we found that less than 6% were positive for anti-TcdA or anti-TcdB antitoxins. Using the same standard immunoassay protocol, we looked for IgG and IgA antitoxins in the blood and stool samples from 25 patients with C. difficile infection (CDI). Some patients with CDI had no antitoxin detected at all, while others had high levels of specific IgG- and IgA-antitoxins against both TcdA and TcdB in blood and IgA-anti-TcdA and -anti-TcdB antibodies in stool. Systemic responses to TcdB and mucosal responses to TcdA predominated. Among patien…
Establishment of standardised SLA/LP immunoassays: specificity for autoimmune hepatitis, worldwide occurrence, and clinical characteristics
2002
Background: Antibodies to soluble liver antigen/liver pancreas (SLA/LP) are specific markers of autoimmune hepatitis. Their target antigen has recently been cloned. Aims: To establish standardised immunoassays using the recombinant antigen, and to assess the frequency and significance of seropositivity in patients from different countries. Methods: An enzyme linked immunoassay was developed using purified recombinant antigen and validated by testing sera from 200 healthy blood donors and 1026 patients with various liver and non-liver diseases. The assay was then applied to 454 sera from 419 patients with autoimmune hepatitis from different countries. All sera were also tested by inhibition …
Characterisation of a new subgroup of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis by autoantibodies against a soluble liver antigen.
1987
Autoantibodies against a soluble liver antigen (SLA) were detected in 23 patients with HBsAg-negative chronic active hepatitis (CAH) but not in 502 patients with various other hepatic and non-hepatic disorders or 165 healthy blood donors. Anti-SLA-positive serum samples were negative for antinuclear and liver-kidney-microsomal antibodies, markers of two subgroups of autoimmune-type CAH, 6 anti-SLA-positive patients were negative for all autoantibodies sought. Most of the anti-SLA-positive patients were young women (2 men, 21 women; mean age 37 years) with hypergammaglobulinaemia (mean 3.2 g/l, range 1.8-5.3 g/l); 18 of the 23 patients had received immunosuppressive treatment and all respond…
Association between reduced lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptors and left ventricular dysfunction in young obese subjects
1994
This study was designed to evaluate total (t) and surface (s) beta-adrenergic receptors (BAR) density and their relationships with left ventricular function in young obese subjects. BAR density, plasma insulin, catecholamines and left ventricular function were evaluated in 27 young obese subjects (BMI30.5 kg/m2 for males and27.3 kg/m2 for females) without other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (smoking, hypertension, diabetes and lipid abnormalities) and in 20 lean controls (BMI25 kg/m2 for males and24.7 kg/m2 for females). Both groups were matched for gender, age and body height. BAR density was evaluated according to Böyum and De Blasi methods. Plasma catecholamines by high perfus…
Serum prolactin and tumors of the prostate: unchanged basal levels and lack of correlation to serum testosterone
1980
To investigate the possible role of circulatory levels of prolactin on the development of prostatic tumors, and to gain insight into the prolactin-androgen relationship, serum prolactin and testosterone were determined in 73 patients with newly diagnosed prostatic adenocarcinoma. Controls consisted of 32 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia before treatment, 19 age-matched controls, and 21 young individuals. Hormones were measured under standardized conditions by highly specific and sensitive radioimmunoassays. There was no difference in prolactin in the elderly men regardless of prostate pathology, but a significant increment was found in young controls. Individual prolactin values d…
Serum Folate Is Significantly Correlated with Plasma Cysteine Concentrations in Healthy Industry Workers
2010
<i>Background:</i> A low concentration of serum folate is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Extracellular cysteine is involved in aging, cancer and cardiovascular disease. The relationship between serum folate and plasma cysteine is poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated this relationship in industry workers, whose health has economic implications. <i>Methods:</i> The concentration of serum folate was determined by the Access ImmunoAssay System Sanofi Pasteur. Plasma cysteine and homocysteine were measured by an ion-pair HPLC method. The concentrations of serum triglycerides were determined by an enzymatic colorimetric method. <i&…
Absence of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction and vagal pancreatic impairment in idiopathic achalasia of the oesophagus
2007
Abstract Extra-oesophageal autonomic dysfunction in idiopathic achalasia is not well documented, due to contradictory results reported. We aimed to study the cardiovascular and pancreatic autonomic function in patients with idiopathic achalasia. Thirty patients with idiopathic achalasia (16M/14F; 34.5 ± 10.8 years) and 30 healthy volunteers (13M/17F; 34.8 ± 10.7 years) were prospectively studied. Age >60 years and conditions affecting results of autonomic evaluation were excluded. Both groups underwent the sham feeding test and plasmatic levels of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were determined by radioimmunoassay (basal, at 5, 10, 20 and 30 min). Cardiovascular parasympathetic (deep breathing…