Twenty one units of platelet-rich plasma(PRP) were prepared from healthy volunteer blood donors, and each unit of the PRP was divided into two aliquots by using transfer bags. Using SEPACELLTM leukocyte-removal filters, each one aliquot of the PRP was filtered immediately after preparation, and the other aliquot was filtered after a 48-hour storage at a room temperature with continuous agitation. Belbre and after filtration, platelet numbers and two platelet activation markers, CD62 and CD63, were measured using hematologic autoanalyzer and'flow cytometry, respectively. The results were as follows: 1. The platelet numbers in the PRP were reduced after filtration. 2. On the point of the preparation of PRP, the mean percentage of CD63-posititve platelets(s32.86+/- 11.3.5%) was highehr than that of CD62-positive platelets(14.63+/-11.22%). 3. When filtered immediately after preparation of PRP, the CD62-positive platelets were significantly reduced(13.23+/-10.43%), however, CD63-positive platelets were not significantly reduced(29.83+/-11.05%). 4. After 48-hour storage, both two activation markers were increased, and the markers were significantly higher in the PRPs stored after filtration than in those stored without filtration. In conclusion CD63 would be a more sensitive platelet activation marker than CD62, and the platelets expressing CD62 seemed to be removed more than those expressing CD63 during filtration.
Blood Donors ; Blood Platelets* ; Dihydroergotamine ; Filtration ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Platelet Activation* ; Platelet Count

BACKGROUND: Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), one of the eosinophil granule proteins released during allergic reactions, may play a major role in the allergic inflammatory process. The measurement of ECP in serum may be a useful indicator of eosinophil activity in ongoing inflammatory processes. We investigated the clinical utility of ECP measurement in serum in patients with bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, after standardizing sample processing. METHODS: We measured the serum ECP levels in patients with bronchial asthma (n=38), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) (n=13), respiratory symptoms (n=19), allergic rhinitis (n=26), non-allergic rhinitis (n=24), and atopic dermatitis (n=10) and in normal healthy controls (n=16) by the fluoroenzyme immunoassay using Pharmacia CAP System, and evaluated the correlation between ECP level and blood eosinophil number, or ECP and IgE levels. Blood eosinophil number was counted by the automated cell counter. RESULTS: Serum ECP levels were significantly higher in patients with bronchial asthma (15.6+/- 12.6 g/L), COPD (13.3+/-7.2 g/L), allergic rhinitis (23.8+/-13.2 g/L), and atopic dermatitis (20.6+/- 18.4 g/L) than in normal controls (7.5+/-4.2 g/L) (P <0.05). ECP levels were also significantly higher in patients with bronchial asthma and COPD than in patients with simple respiratory symptoms (6.9+/-4.7 g/L), whose ECP levels did not statistically differ from those in normal controls. ECP levels were also significantly higher in patients with allergic rhinitis than in patients with non-allergic rhinitis (9.5+/-5.1 g/L), whose ECP levels did not statistically differ from those in normal controls. Serum ECP level and eosinophil number in peripheral blood were correlated only in patients with bronchial asthma (r=0.53, P <0.01) and no correlation between ECP and IgE levels was found in all of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: ECP is the one of the secretory components released from the eosinophil granule and measurement of ECP in serum might be one of the noninvasive tool to assess the activity in relation to eosinophil involvement in various allergic diseases.
Asthma ; Cell Count ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein* ; Eosinophil Granule Proteins ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoassay ; Immunoglobulin E ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Because laboratory tests are important elements of medical practice and many new tests using new technologies are being developed, the effective use of laboratory tests and services is clearly the joint responsibility of clinicians and clinical laboratory. Clinical laboratory is needed to adopt more active approach to advocating test strategy and interpreting results. We evaluated the reflex testing algorithms, consequently ordering the secondary tests by clinical pathologists. METHODS: We decided 36 test items, which can be odered consequently by clinical pathologists, working with communication between the laboratory and the clinic. In our laboratory, clinical pathologists consequently ordered the secondary tests after interpreting the primary screening test results, analyzed them with the same samples, and reported on the same day. We applied this consequently ordering system to the hospitalized patients. RESULTS: Consequently ordered secondary tests were 5,060 (17.8%) among 28,494 tests performed on 36 items during 6 months, which comprised 0.5% of total laboratory tests. Consequently ordering system was a successful attempt to improve the effectiveness of test utilization, in which we generated laboratory informations sequentially, reduced the turn-around time and played an active role in assuring effective utilization of the laboratory tests. CONCLUSIONS: Laboratory information including optimal test selection, development of methods to insure that the resulting data are utilized properly, and interpretation of test results, which can be provided more actively by clinical pathologists, should be used in assuring superior patient care. Consequently ordering system by clinical pathologists may be considered to be a means of providing patient services more efficiently.
Humans ; Joints ; Mass Screening ; Patient Care ; Reflex

BACKGROUND: Infection of hepatitis B virus(HBV) is one of the most important cause of the liver diseases in Korea, although HBV infection tends to be decreased. Diagnostic kits more accurately detecting HBV infection have been required'in order to diagnose and prevent the HBV infection. Recently LG Chemical Ltd. developed new diagnostic kits for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc, using HBV from Korean patients. We evaluated these new kits by comparing them with microplate enzyme immunoassay (EIA) from BehringTU(Germany) and microparticle EIA (MEIA) from AbbottTM(USA). METHOD: Sera from 1,500 healthy blood donors and 500 patients were obtained to test HBsAg, anti- HBs and anti-HBc using diagnostic kits from AbbottTM, BehringTM and LG Chemical Ltd. We analyzed the results of 3 manufacturers and confirmed the discordant results of HBsAg by Southern hybridization after HBV PCR and those of anti-HBs by neutralization assay with HBsAg from LGTM. We also evaluated the reproducibility and detection limit. RESULTS: Of 1,500 healthy blood donors, HBsAg was positive in 34 (2.3%), representing completely the same results from 3 manufacturers. However, of 500 patients, 7 (1.4%) had discordant results; HBsAg was positive in all 7 sera tested with BehringTM and positive in only one tested with AbbottTM and LGTM, respectively. HBV DNA was not detected in all 7 discordant results of HBsAg, so false positive results totaled 7 (1.4%) with BehringTM and 1 (0.2%) with AbbottTM and LGTM, respectively. Of 2,000 sera, the results of anti-HBs and anti-HBc from 3 manufacturers were same in 1,876 (93.8%) and in 1,949 (97.5%), respectively. Results of HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc from 3 manufacturers were constant on repeating tests. When testing the detection limit, BehringTM kits for HBsAg and anti-HBs retained significantly higher sensitivity than AbbottTM and LGTM. On the other hand, BehringTM kit for anti-HBc showed significantly lower sensitivity than AbbottTM and LGTM. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic kits for HBV developed by LG Chemical Ltd. showed comparable results with those by AbbottTM or BehringTM and will be useful as screening blood donors or detecting patients with HBV infection.
Blood Donors ; DNA ; Hand ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Korea ; Limit of Detection ; Liver Diseases ; Mass Screening ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

BACKGROUND: The product of oxygen-free radicals inf1ict oxidative injuries on healthy cells. Antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase(SOD), glutathione peroxidase, and reduced glutathione(GSH) are present in almost all cells and play important roles in metabolism, transport, and cellular protection. We measured blood GSH levels in healthy controls and patients with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) for evaluation of the clinical usefulness of GSH. METHODS: Erythrocyte GSH levels were measured in fifty healthy controls and thirty NIDDM patients with diabetic retinopathies by Beutler's method. We also tested within-run precision, between-run precision, linearity and recovery rate to evaluate this method measuring erythrocyte GSH levels. RESULTS: The GSH levels (mean +/-SD) of NIDDM patients (5.03+/-0.67mumo1/Hb) were significantly lower than those of healthy control group (6.46+/-0.85mumo1/Hb)(P<0.001). The results of within-run precision and between-run precision when stored at 4degrees Cwere excellent (coefficient of variation were 2.79% and 2.42%, respectively), however, when stored at the room temperature the GSH levels were sharply declined. The linearity and recovery rate were acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The prescision, linearity, and recovery rate of GSH measurement were excellent. The GSH levels in NIDDM patient group were reduced, and this probably contributes to the defective defense mechanism against increased oxidative stress. Additional measurement of other antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione Peroxidase may be required to clarify the pathologic significance of glutathione metabolism in various diseases.
Antioxidants ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Erythrocytes* ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Metabolism ; Oxidative Stress ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of suction drains following total hip arthroplasties, by comparing the post-operative results between the group with suction drains and the group without suction drains. Materials and Methods: Eighty-six patients, who underwent primary total hip arthroplasties from June 2001 to June 2004, were divided into two groups: group 1 (48 patients), with suction drains; and group 2 (38 patients), without suction drains. We assessed the perioperative hemoglobin and platelet levels, the amount of total blood loss, the amount of post-operative blood transfusions, post-operative ranges of motion (ROMs, at 6 weeks), wound problems, and general conditions. Results: Although the postoperative hemoglobin level was greater in group 2 than in group 1, there was no statistically significant difference. The amount of total blood loss and blood transfusions in group 1 were statistically greater than in group 2 (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the post-operative ROMs and wound complications between groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: There were no limitations of hip motion and no wound complications in the patients without suction drains after total hip arthroplasties. However, they required fewer post-operative blood transfusions than did the patients with suction drains, due to less post-operative blood loss; and the absence of a suction drain might prevent retrograde tube infections. In addition, patients without suction drains after total hip arthroplasties seemed to recover better did than those with suction drains. Therefore, suction drains might provide no benefit in total hip arthroplasties.
Arthroplasty ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip* ; Blood Platelets ; Blood Transfusion ; Hip ; Humans ; Suction* ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets* ; Platelet Aggregation*

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging ) had been the most up-to-dated modality in evaluating white matter disease in recent years, whereas US (ultrasonogram) has been used extensively in diagnosis of neonatal PVL(periventricular leukomalacia) conventionally. We evaluated the diagnostic value of MRI by reviewing the MR findings and correlation of MR and US of PVL in II preterm infants. Evaluation criteria were MR signal intensity and discrimination of PVL on each pulse sequences land comparision between MR and US findings performed simultaneously, on the extent of PVL, size of the largest cyst and detectability of hemorrhagic lesion. MR findings of 11 cases of PVL were of low signal patterns on T1WI (T1weighted image) in 7, low signal patterns of PDWI (proton density weighted image) in 9, iso signal patterns on T2WI(T2weighted image) in 8 and low signal patterns on STIR(short time inversion recovery) in 7 cases. The lesions of 11 PVL were well discriminated in all 11 cases of T1WI, 7 cases of STR, 5 case of PDWE and 2 cases of T2WI. The lateral ventricle was diffuse dilated (n=1) and focally dilated (n=3) in atrial area. In the comparative study, MR presented more extensive lesions in 7 cases, larger cysts in 6 cases out of 7 PVL and more definitive hemorrhage in 3 cases out of 4 cases than sonography. In conclusion MR was more valuable than sonography in evaluating the extent of lesions, size of the largest cystic lesion and detetion of hemorrhage. TIWI and STIR images were more useful in detection of PVL than T2WI and PDWI.
Diagnosis ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Lateral Ventricles ; Leukoencephalopathies ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

BACKGROUND: Maternal serum triple marker screening has become standard in prenatal care to help identify women at risk for neural tube defects (NTDs), trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards' syndrome). This study was undertaken to evaluate the results of maternal serum triplemarker screening performed in pregnant women visiting Chung-Ang University Hospital and to assess the effectiveness of prenatal triple-marker screening. METHODS: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and unconjugated estriol (uE3) were measured by radioimmunoassay (Amerlex-M 2nd Trimester Kit, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Amersham, Aylesbury, UK) in 506 pregnant women visiting Chung-Ang University Hospital. Women at risk for NTDs, trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 were identified using the computer program (HIT Program). Amniocentesis with chromosome analysis was performed in women who had positive screening results. RESULTS: Positive screening results were found in 41 (8.1%) women among 506 pregnant women who had undergone prenatal triple-marker screening between 14 and 22 weeks of gestation. Of these 41 women, 39 (7.7%) had a positive screening results for Down syndrome and 2 (0.4%) for NTDs. Thirty-two women with positive screening results for Down syndrome chose amniocentesis for chromosomal analysis, of which the results showed normal in 28 (87.5%), inv(9) in 3 (9.4%) and 48, XXY, +18 in 1 (3.1%). Although all but one of the fetuses with normal karyotypes and inv(9) were born with normal phenotypes, one pregnancy with 48, XXY, +18 was terminated due to fetal death in-utero. One of 2 pregnancies affected with NTDs was correctly identified, showing meningocele, abdominal wall defect and scoliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm chromosome abnormalities or congenital anomalies in about 5% of the pregnancies with positive triple-marker screening results, suggesting an effective prenatal screening test. It has been found that the presence of inv(9) in fetuses might be accompanied by false-positive results for Down syndrome.
Abdominal Wall ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; Amniocentesis ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Estriol ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetus ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Mass Screening* ; Meningocele ; Neural Tube Defects ; Phenotype ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Radioimmunoassay ; Scoliosis ; Trisomy

BACKGROUND: Current status of external quality assessment (EQA) of laboratory tests for syphilis in Korea was analyzed to find out the problems that should be improved in the future. METHODS: Based on the data from the external quality assessment program performed twice a year by the Immunoserology Subcommittee of the Korean Association of Quality Assurance for Clinical Laboratory from the year 2004 to 2006, discordance rates were analyzed according to the test method and commercial kit used. RESULTS: Among the laboratories participating in the EQA program for syphilis test, about 90% of them used non-treponemal tests and about 55% treponemal tests. The non-treponemal tests included RPR (rapid plasma reagin) and VDRL tests used in 88% (363/412) and 11% (45/412), respectively, of the laboratories. The discordance rates were 2.2% for RPR test and 3.6% for VDRL. For the treponemal tests, Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA) was used in 60-76% and Immunochromatography assay (ICA) in about 30% of the laboratories in 2006. A high discordance rate of over 10% was reported in both TPHA and in ICA methods, possibly due to a low titer (1:1 in VDRL) of EQA samples in 2005. Analysis of the accumulated data from year 2004 to 2006 showed that the discordance rates of TPHA, ICA, and FTA-ABS were 4.6%, 3.7%, and 2.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For syphilis tests, RPR test, TPHA, and ICA are mainly used in Korea. A high discordance rate is still reported in TPHA and ICA, especially when testing samples with a low titer. Further analysis of data and education of laboratory personnel are needed for the improvement of the EQA program.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; False Positive Reactions ; Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test ; Humans ; Korea ; Quality Control ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Syphilis/*diagnosis ; Syphilis Serodiagnosis/methods/*standards ; Treponema Immobilization Test