BACKGROUND: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is known to be one of the ideal biomarkers for acute kidney injury providing early information on damage to the kidney. METHODS: We evaluated the performance for precision and the reportable range of the automated NGAL Test (Bioporto Diagnostics, Denmark) assay and compared the values of these tests with widely used point of care test. The reference interval of NGAL was established in Korean adults. RESULTS: Within run percent coefficient of variation (%CV) and total precision %CV for 2 levels were all within 5%. The reportable range was found to be acceptable for the range of 57.0 - 3182.0 ng/mL (r=0.999). The method comparison was made between Biosite's assay and Bioporto Diagnostics' (Passing and Bablok fit, y=1.94x - 5.29; x, Biosite; y, Bioporto; n=31; y range, 250 to 1,308 ng/mL; r2=0.959). The correlation was linear within the limit of 1,500 ng/mL, but not beyond this limit. The 2.5 and 97.5 percentile of the reference range for the samples were 43.2 ng/mL and 124.8 ng/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Since NGAL Test can be used in automated chemical analyzer, it can not only reduce the man power and time consumed in but also displayed excellent precision and linearity.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Biomarkers ; Chemistry, Clinical ; Immunoassay ; Lipocalins ; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry ; Neutrophils ; Reference Values

BACKGROUND: Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion is administered primarily for management of acquired bleeding disorders. However, in practice, FFP transfusion is increasing without a solid rationale. METHODS: We conducted an audit to evaluate the appropriateness of the indications for FFP transfusion during the period from July 2010 through June 2011. Assessment of the appropriateness of the indications was based on the national transfusion guidelines and the transfusion criteria promulgated by the Severance Hospital. RESULTS: In total, 17,733 units of plasma were transfused to 1,949 patients over 4,982 events. We found that administration of FFP was not in compliance with the recommended guidelines in 1,990 events. The number of total FFP transfusions was higher in medical departments (Gastroenterology) than in surgical departments (Thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, General surgery). However, the proportion of cases of inappropriate transfusion was higher in surgical departments than in medical departments. Both the total number of FFP transfusion and the proportion of inappropriate transfusion were high in patient with neoplasm, disease of the digestive system, and diseases of the circulatory system. CONCLUSION: Continuous monitoring on appropriateness for FFP transfusion and feedback to the physician are critical in securing the transfusion safety as well as maintaining the quality of FFP transfusion. New-found indication for FFP transfusion should be investigated and applied in timely manner.
Compliance ; Digestive System ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Plasma

BACKGROUND: In patients who had serum autoantibody that reacted with all screening red blood cells (panagglutination), waiting for compatible blood is likely to delay a needed transfusion. In some cases of severely diminished hemoglobin counts, the least incompatible blood may be transfused. However, the least incompatible transfusion therapy is challenged by the presence of unexpected antibody in patient's serum, which may cause a transfusion reaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the least incompatible transfusion on clinical outcomes in patients with panagglutination. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 49 patients with panagglutination on an unexpected antibody screening test between January 2006 and July 2010. In 36 patients having the least incompatible blood transfusion, changes in hemoglobin and lactate dehydrogenase (LD) values before and after transfusion were analyzed. One year mortality after initial need for transfusion was documented. RESULTS: In all 36 patients who underwent transfusion, hemoglobin values showed an increase of 1.2 (0.0~3.0) g/dL per unit without occurrence of acute transfusion reactions indicated by an increase in the LD level. The least incompatible transfusion did not show an association with increased all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: As an alternative to the time consuming process of alloantibody detection, patients with severe anemia can be effectively transfused with "least incompatible units" in an emergency clinical setting without experiencing acute transfusion reactions.
Anemia ; Blood Group Incompatibility ; Blood Transfusion ; Emergencies ; Erythrocytes ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Self-monitoring of blood glucose levels is recommended for all diabetic patients who receive insulin treatment, because such monitoring of glucose levels may aid in achieving better control in type II diabetes. Further, the use of point-of-care (POC) blood glucose testing in hospitals has increased substantially. In the present study, we validated the performance of ACCU-CHEK(R) Inform II Blood Glucose Meter and ACCU-CHEK(R) Performa Strip (Roche Diagnostics, Germany). METHODS: We evaluated the precision, accuracy, and maltose interference of the ACCU-CHEK(R) Inform II Blood Glucose Meter and ACCU-CHEK(R) Performa Strip. Further, precision was evaluated using dedicated quality control (QC) and Bio-Rad Whole Blood (WB) QC materials (Meter Trax(TM) Control; Bio-Rad, USA). Forty samples were used to compare the results obtained using the ACCU-CHEK(R) Inform II Blood Glucose Meter and ACCU-CHEK(R) Performa Strip with those obtained using the clinical chemistry analyzer Hitachi 7600 (Hitachi, Japan). Maltose interference was assessed at 2 glucose concentration levels at 3 maltose concentration levels. RESULTS: For each concentration level of control materials, within-run coefficient of variation (CV) and total CV obtained were less than 5%. Good correlation was obtained using the Hitachi 7600 (y = 1.02x - 0.18; r 2 = 0.996; N = 40). Effects of maltose interference were less than 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the ACCU-CHEK(R) systems show good precision and correlation with the routine clinical chemistry analyzer and allow only minimal effects of maltose interference.
Blood Glucose ; Chemistry, Clinical ; Glucose ; Humans ; Insulin ; Maltose ; Quality Control

BACKGROUND: In the Korean Red Cross Blood Center, ABO blood typing are routinely performed only via red cell grouping at blood donations sites. However, when an error occurs in this process, it is impossible to issue a blood product contrary to the result of the blood type of the Blood Laboratory Center, thereby resulting in delayed supply. Therefore, efforts are needed to reduce typing errors at blood donation sites. METHODS: We analyzed 656,786 donor screenings between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016;we also analyzed the statistical data of donor ABO typing between 2013 and 2015. To reduce ABO typing error, we notified and trained nurses at Busan, Gyeongnam, Ulsan, and Daegu-Gyeongbuk Blood centers in June, 2016. We tried to confirm the improvement of ABO typing error at blood donation sites by comparing ABO typing before and after training. For data comparison, chi-square test was conducted (95% confidence interval, 0.05 significant level). RESULTS: The blood typing error rate was significantly lower (P=0.003) four months after training (0.005%) than before training (0.015%), and the blood typing error rate was significantly higher for the first blood donor (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Educational training for nurses at blood donation sites may be effective in reducing ABO typing error. Continuous and regular training seems to be needed in future to reduce ABO typing error.
Blood Donors* ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching* ; Busan ; Donor Selection ; Humans ; Red Cross ; Tissue Donors ; Ulsan

Bacteria belonging to the genus Tsukamurella are aerobic, gram-positive rods that are weakly acid-fast with no apparent branching. Infections of the Tsukamurella spp. are generally caused by the use of infected medical devices such as central venous catheters. The underreporting of these infections might be attributable to the frequent misdiagnosis of Tsukamurella infections as Corynebacterium or atypical Mycobacterium spp. infections. Therefore, when gram-positive aerobic rods are observed in the blood culture of a patient with a central venous catheter, it is important to consider Tsukamurella as one of the causative organisms. Here, we report the first case of a catheter-related blood stream infection caused by Tsukamurella inchonensis in a 3-yr-old Korean girl with underlying biliary atresia who underwent hepatoportoenterostomy.
Bacteria ; Biliary Atresia ; Catheters ; Central Venous Catheters ; Corynebacterium ; Diagnostic Errors ; Gram-Positive Rods ; Humans ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ; Rivers ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

BACKGROUND: Trends in the isolation of enteropathogenic bacteria may differ depending on environmental sanitation. The aims of this study were to determine trends in the isolation and antimicrobial resistance patterns of enteropathogenic bacteria over the last 10 years. METHODS: We analyzed stool cultures of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Plesiomonas shigelloides, Yersinia spp., Vibrio spp., and Campylobacter spp. collected at Severance Hospital between 2001 and 2010. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method for nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) and Campylobacter. RESULTS: The number of specimens for stool culture significantly increased from 13,412 during 1969-1978 to 60,714 over the past 10 years, whereas the ratio of positive specimens significantly decreased from 12.9% (1,732) to 1.1% (648). The proportion of Salmonella Typhi decreased from 97.2% in 1969-1978 to 0.8% in 2001-2010, whereas the proportion of NTS increased from 2.8% to 99.2%. The proportion of Shigella among all enteric pathogens was over 50% from 1969 to 1983, while only seven strains were isolated from 2001 to 2010, with the exception of one outbreak. Campylobacter is the second most prevalent organism. The rates of susceptibility to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole were 61% and 92%, respectively, for NTS isolated from 2006 to 2010. The ciprofloxacin susceptibility rate was 79.5% for Campylobacter between 2006 and 2010. CONCLUSION: The number of isolates of Salmonella Typhi and Shigella significantly decreased, while the proportion of NTS and Campylobacter increased. Continuous monitoring of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter isolates is necessary.
Ampicillin ; Bacteria ; Campylobacter ; Ciprofloxacin ; Diffusion ; Plesiomonas ; Salmonella ; Salmonella typhi ; Sanitation ; Shigella ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination ; Vibrio ; Yersinia

Objective: To assess whether computed tomography (CT) conversion across different scan parameters and manufacturers using a routable generative adversarial network (RouteGAN) can improve the accuracy and variability in quantifying interstitial lung disease (ILD) using a deep learning-based automated software. Materials and Methods: This study included patients with ILD who underwent thin-section CT. Unmatched CT images obtained using scanners from four manufacturers (vendors A-D), standard- or low-radiation doses, and sharp or medium kernels were classified into groups 1–7 according to acquisition conditions. CT images in groups 2–7 were converted into the target CT sty le (Group 1: vendor A, standard dose, and sharp kernel) using a RouteGAN. ILD was quantified on original and converted CT images using a deep learning-based software (Aview, Coreline Soft). The accuracy of quantification was analyzed using the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and pixel-wise overlap accuracy metrics against manual quantification by a radiologist. Five radiologists evaluated quantification accuracy using a 10-point visual scoring system. Results: Three hundred and fifty CT slices from 150 patients (mean age: 67.6 ± 10.7 years; 56 females) were included. The overlap accuracies for quantifying total abnormalities in groups 2–7 improved after CT conversion (original vs. converted: 0.63vs. 0.68 for DSC, 0.66 vs. 0.70 for pixel-wise recall, and 0.68 vs. 0.73 for pixel-wise precision; P < 0.002 for all). The DSCs of fibrosis score, honeycombing, and reticulation significantly increased after CT conversion (0.32 vs. 0.64, 0.19 vs. 0.47, and 0.23 vs. 0.54, P < 0.002 for all), whereas those of ground-glass opacity, consolidation, and emphysema did not change significantly or decreased slightly. The radiologists’ scores were significantly higher (P < 0.001) and less variable on converted CT. Conclusion CT conversion using a RouteGAN can improve the accuracy and variability of CT images obtained using different scan parameters and manufacturers in deep learning-based quantification of ILD.