Screening Cut-off Values Research Articles

Measuring Eco-Anxiety with the Polish Version of the 13-Item Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS-13): Latent Structure, Correlates, and Psychometric Performance

Background/Objectives: The Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS-13) is a thirteen-item measure of eco-anxiety, with four dimensions: (1) affective symptoms, (2) rumination, (3) behavioural symptoms, and (4) anxiety about personal impact. Being a recently developed questionnaire, data on its psychometrics are limited. The aim of this study was to introduce a Polish version of the HEAS-13 and examine its psychometric properties. Methods: Our sample consisted of 634 Polish-speaking adults, with ages ranging from 18 to 67 years. We assessed the HEAS-13’s factor structure, internal consistency, test–retest reliabilities, and its concurrent validity via relationships with climate-related variables, psychopathology symptoms, and well-being. We put emphasis on examining the discriminant validity of the HEAS-13 against general psychological distress. Results: As expected, the Polish HEAS-13 demonstrated strong factorial validity with an intended four-factor structure. The internal consistency and test–retest reliabilities of the scale were good and moderate, respectively. Higher levels of eco-anxiety were associated with higher environmental concerns, the experience of climate change (i.e., one’s perception of being affected by climate change), pro-environmental behavioural engagement, climate change worry, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, as well as lower levels of well-being. We empirically supported the strong discriminant validity of the HEAS-13, demonstrating that eco-anxiety was separable from general psychological distress. We also noted that females, younger people, and those with lower educational levels experienced higher eco-anxiety. To facilitate the use of this measure, we propose a potential screening cut-off value for the HEAS-13, which can indicate meaningfully elevated levels of eco-anxiety. Conclusions: Overall, the Polish version of the HEAS-13 has strong psychometric properties, usefully enabling the examination of climate-related anxiety. Our findings highlight its potential in cross-cultural research and healthcare practice.

Screening cutoff values to identify the risk of falls after stroke: A scoping review.

The present scoping review aimed to summarize and determine the accuracy of the variables and cutoff values reported to date for identifying fall risk in patients with stroke and identify the commonalities, limitations, and clinical implications. Articles published by the end of 2023 were searched using PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Scopus electronic databases. Two reviewers created a search formula, searched the databases, and conducted primary and secondary screenings. This review included 21 articles. The most commonly used individual indicator for identifying fall risk after stroke was the Berg Balance Scale; the cutoff values were relatively consistent, ranging between 46.5 and 50.5 points (area under the curve: 0.72-0.81). For the Timed Up and Go test and Falls Efficacy Scale-International, the cutoff values were in the range of 15-19 s and 27-29 points, respectively, and were relatively consistent across the articles. However, the area under the curve values were low (0.66-0.70 and 0.68-0.71, respectively). Among various assessments, the Berg Balance Scale is the most extensively studied tool, with established cutoff values associated with falls risk. It serves as a reliable indicator for detecting fall risk, especially in community-dwelling individuals with chronic stroke.

Evaluating Respiratory Muscle Strength in Sarcopenia Screening among Older Men in South Korea: A Retrospective Analysis.

To evaluate the potential of incorporating respiratory muscle strength, specifically maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), along with traditional sarcopenia screening measures such as hand grip strength (HGS) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), to identify sarcopenia in older men. A retrospective analysis was conducted involving male patients aged 65 years and older who underwent measurements of respiratory muscle strength, HGS, and muscle mass at a general hospital in Korea from July 2016 to May 2022. Statistical analysis utilized independent t-tests and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to assess the sensitivity and specificity of MIP, MEP, HGS, and SMI in sarcopenia screening. The cut-off values for sarcopenia screening were determined based on the area under the ROC curve (AUC). The analysis of 282 study participants revealed the following cut-off values for sarcopenia based on the AUC: for MIP, the cut-off value was 65.50 cmH2O (AUC=0.70, sensitivity: 0.63, specificity: 0.61), while for MEP, it was 84.50 cmH2O (AUC=0.74, sensitivity: 0.66, specificity: 0.68). This study showed the utility of respiratory muscle strength in screening for sarcopenia among older men. We suggest the screening cut-off values as 65.50 cmH2O for MIP and 84.50 cmH2O for MEP. Even when HGS and SMI measurements are not feasible, sarcopenia can be reasonably predicted based on respiratory muscle strength.

Validation of a German version of the dementia screening questionnaire for individuals with intellectual disabilities (DSQIID-G) in Down's syndrome.

People with Down's syndrome (DS) are at high risk of developing Alzheimer dementia (DS-AD) due to a triplication of the amyloid precursor protein gene. While several tools to diagnose and screen for DS-AD, such as the dementia screening questionnaire for individuals with intellectual disabilities (DSQIID), are available in English, validated German versions of such instruments are scarce. A German version of the DSQIID questionnaire (DSQIID-G) was completed by caregivers before attending our specialist outpatient department for DS-AD. All participants were assessed blind to DSQIID-G scoring using clinical and neuropsychological examinations, including the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down's Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities (CAMDEX-DS). ICD-10 and amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration (A/T/N) criteria were applied to detect and categorise cognitive decline. Of 86 participants, 43 (50%) showed evidence of cognitive decline. A definite diagnosis of DS-AD was reached in 17 (19.8%) and mild cognitive impairment in seven (8.3%) participants. Secondary causes of cognitive decline were determined among 13 (15.1%) participants, and in six (7%) cases, the diagnosis remained unclassifiable due to co-morbidities. Compared with cognitively stable individuals, participants with cognitive decline (n=43) displayed higher DSQIID-G total scores [median (range): 3 (0-21) vs. 19 (0-48), P<0.001]. A total score of >7 provided a sensitivity of 0.94 against a specificity of 0.76, to discriminate DS-AD and participants without cognitive decline according to ROC analysis. The convergent validity against the CAMDEX-DS interview score was good (r=0.74), and split-half reliability (r=0.96), internal consistency (Cronbach's α r=0.96), test-retest reliability (r=0.88) (n=25) and interrater reliability (r=0.81) (n=31) were excellent. The DSQIID-G showed excellent psychometric properties, including concurrent and internal validity and reliability. The cut-off value for screening was lower than in the original English validation study. For a screening instrument like DSQIID-G, a lower cut-off is preferable to increase case detection.

Screening Cutoff Values for the Detection of Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma by LC-MS/MS and a Novel Noncompetitive CLEIA.

Detecting patients with surgically curable aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) among hypertensive individuals is clinically pivotal. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the ideal method of measuring plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) because of the inaccuracy of conventional chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA). However, LC-MS/MS is expensive and requires expertise. We have developed a novel noncompetitive CLEIA (NC-CLEIA) for measuring PAC in 30 minutes. This work aimed to validate NC-CLEIA PAC measurements by comparing them with LC-MS/MS measurements and determining screening cutoffs for both measurements detecting APA. We retrospectively measured PAC using LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA in 133 patients with APA, 100 with bilateral hyperaldosteronism, and 111 with essential hypertension to explore the accuracy of NC-CLEIA PAC measurements by comparing with LC-MS/MS measurements and determined the cutoffs for detecting APA. Passing-Bablok analysis revealed that the values by NC-CLEIA (the regression slope, intercept, and correlation coefficient were 0.962, -0.043, and 0.994, respectively) were significantly correlated and equivalent to those by LC-MS/MS. Bland-Altman plot analysis of NC-CLEIA and LC-MS/MS also demonstrated smaller systemic errors (a bias of -0.348 ng/dL with limits of agreement of -4.390 and 3.694 within a 95% CI) in NC-CLEIA than LC-MS/MS. The receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that cutoff values for aldosterone/renin activity ratio obtained by LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA were 31.2 and 31.5 (ng/dL per ng/mL/hour), with a sensitivity of 91.0% and 90.2% and specificity of 75.4% and 76.8%, respectively, to differentiate APA from non-APA. This newly developed NC-CLEIA for measuring PAC could serve as a clinically reliable alternative to LC-MS/MS.

Establishment of self-reported hearing cut-off value on the Chinese version of short form of speech, spatial and qualities of hearing scale (SSQ12)

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Chinese version of Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (C-SSQ12) in the Chinese Mandarin-speaking population and to determine its screening cut-off value by comparing measured pure-tone average (PTA), the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S) scores and C-SSQ12 scores. Design All participants completed the C-SSQ12 questionnaire and underwent the pure-tone audiometry. Older subjects aged ≧ 60 years completed the HHIE-S questionnaire. The optimal cut-off value for the C-SSQ12 as a hearing screening tool was calculated by comparing different cut-offs and hearing thresholds. Study sample A total of 300 subjects were recruited. Results There was a negative correlation between C-SSQ12 scores and HHIE-S scores (r = −0.749). C-SSQ12 scores were negatively correlated with PTA (r = −0.507; r = −0.542). The best cut-off value for the C-SSQ12 was 6.0, with a sensitivity of 78.2%, specificity of 80.3%, positive predictive value of 63.7% and negative predictive value of 97.0% (PTA > 40dBHL for bilateral ears). Conclusions Compared to mild hearing loss, the C-SSQ12 is a reliable and validated hearing screening tool with increased sensitivity for detecting moderate-to-severe hearing loss.

The association between social camouflage and mental health among autistic people in Japan and the UK: a cross-cultural study

BackgroundTo examine the relationship between social camouflage and mental health in Japanese autistic adults and make an international comparison with a sample from the UK.MethodsThis study analysed secondary data of participants with a self-reported diagnosis of autism from Japan (N = 210; 123 men and 87 women) and the UK (N = 305; 181 women, 104, men, and 18 nonbinary). The relationships between the quadratic term of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire and mental health scales, including depression and anxiety, were assessed.ResultsThe UK sample showed linear relationships, whereas the Japanese sample showed significant nonlinear relationships. The quadratic terms of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire slightly explained generalised anxiety (β = .168, p = .007), depression (β = .121, p = .045), and well-being (β = − .127, p = .028). However, they did not explain the association between social anxiety and the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire.LimitationsParticipants had self-reported diagnoses, and while the autism-spectrum quotient provides a cut-off value for screening, it does not enable confirming diagnoses. Mean scores of the Japanese version of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire were lower as compared to the original CAT-Q, which implies that the social camouflage strategy types used by autistic people in Japan and the UK could differ. The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences.ConclusionIn the UK, more social camouflage was associated with poorer mental health scores, whereas too little or too much social camouflage was associated with a low mental health score in Japan. The Japanese population is seemingly less aware of and educated on autistic characteristics and considers ‘average’ behaviour a good thing. This could influence Japanese autistic people’s social camouflage use, differing from that of autistic people in the UK. The differences in the relationship between social camouflage and mental health between Japan and the UK could be associated with national-level divergence regarding the culture of autism.

Usefulness of inclusion of ertapenem and temocillin screening breakpoints in the EUCAST rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (RAST) for rapid detection of OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae directly from positive blood cultures.

The aims of this study were: (i) to assess the ability of the meropenem screening breakpoint as part of the screening rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (sRAST) of EUCAST for the detection of OXA-48 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae directly from positive blood cultures (BCs); and (ii) to evaluate the inclusion of ertapenem and temocillin discs into the sRAST to enhance the detection of OXA-48-producing isolates. BC bottles were spiked with a total of 117 K. pneumoniae isolates, including 77 previously characterized OXA-48 producers and 40 non-OXA-48 producers. Disc diffusion assays were directly performed from positive BCs with meropenem (10 µg), ertapenem (10 µg) and temocillin (30 µg) discs, and inhibition zones were manually measured after 4, 6 and 8 h of incubation. The screening cut-off values of sRAST were applied to evaluate their capability in detecting OXA-48-producing isolates. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to illustrate the performance efficacy of the disc diffusion assays to detect OXA-48 producers. The meropenem cut-off values of sRAST only detected 90.91% of the OXA-48-producing isolates after 6 and 8 h of incubation. With the proposed cut-off points for ertapenem [<19 mm (4/6 h) and <20 mm (8 h)] and temocillin [<10 mm (4 h) and <11 mm (6/8 h)], all OXA-48-positive isolates were detected without any false-positive results at any reading time. In healthcare settings with a high prevalence of OXA-48 producers, the inclusion of ertapenem and temocillin discs in the sRAST procedure may improve the detection of OXA-48-producing K. pneumoniae isolates directly from positive BCs, providing reliable results after only a 4 h incubation period.

Reliability of hemoglobin A2 value as measured by the Premier Resolution system for screening of β-thalassemia carriers.

Accurate quantification of hemoglobin (Hb) A2 is vital for diagnosing β-thalassemia carriers. This study aimed to assess the precision and diagnostic utility of HbA2 measurements using the new high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, Premier Resolution, in comparison to capillary electrophoresis (CE). We analyzed 418 samples, previously identified as A2A by CE, using Premier Resolution-HPLC. We compared the results, established correlations, and determined an optimal HbA2 cutoff value for β-thalassemia screening. Additionally, we prospectively evaluated the chosen cutoff value in 632 samples. Mutations in the β- and α-globin genes were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques and DNA sequencing. HbA2 levels were consistently higher with Premier Resolution, yet there was a significant correlation with CE in all samples (bias,-0.33; r, 0.991), β-thalassemia (bias,-0.27; r, 0.927), and non-β-thalassemia carriers (bias,-0.36; r, 0.928). An HbA2 cutoff value of≥4.0 % for β-thalassemia screening achieved 100 % sensitivity and 99.6 % specificity. Further validation yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 97.3 , 99.8, 97.3, 99.8, and 99.7 %, respectively. We also identified a rare β-Hb variant, Hb La Desirade [HBB:c.389C>T], associated with β-thalassemia and co-inherited with a single α-globin gene. The Premier Resolution HPLC is a reliable and accurate method for routine β-thalassemia carrier screening, aligning with existing CE methods.

THU595 New Screening Cutoff Values For Detection Of Aldosterone Producing Adenoma Examined By LC-MS/MS And Newly Developed Non-competitive Cleia

Abstract Disclosure: F. Satoh: None. Y. Ono: None. K. Omata: None. Y. Tezuka: None. Y. Yamazaki: None. H. Sasano: None. S. Kojima: None. Objective: Thinking of the poor accuracy of conventional CLEIA measurements of aldosterone, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the ideal method but it is costly, labor intensive and time consuming. A novel non-competitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (sandwich assay) (NC-CLEIA) for measuring aldosterone was recently developed. We validated the accuracy and diagnostic ability of the NC-CLEIA and compared the results obtained with those by LC-MS/MS and also determined the new screen cutoffs by both measurements, respectively, detecting aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) in hypertensive patients. Design and Method: We measured plasma renin activity by enzyme assay and plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC) using LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA in 133 APA, 100 bilateral hyperaldosteronism and 111 essential hypertension patients to examine the accuracy of the values of PAC measured by this new NC--CLEIA as compared with those by LC-MS/MS, and determine the new screen cutoff values by both measurements to detect APA, respectively. Results: Passing-Bablok analysis revealed that NC-CLEIA (regression slope, intercept and correlation coefficient were 0.962, -0.043, and 0.994, respectively), was significantly correlated and equivalent to LC-MS/MS than RIA. Bland-Altman plot analysis of NC-CLEIA by LC-MS/MS also demonstrated much smaller systemic errors (a bias of -0.348 ng/dL with limits of agreement of -4.390 and 3.694 and 95% confidence interval). The receiver-operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that cut-off values of aldosterone/renin activity ratio obtained by LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA were 31.2 and 31.5 (ng/dL per ng/mL/hr) with a sensitivity of 91.0% and 90.2%, and a specificity of 75.4% and 76.8%, respectively, in terms of discriminating APA from non-APA. Therefore, we can recommend an ARR &amp;gt; 30.0 ng/dL per ng/mL/hr as a screening cut-off by both LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA, which would discriminate APA with a sensitivity of 91.7% in both assays, and with a specificity of 73.0% and 73.9 %, respectively. Conclusions: This novel NC-CLEIA assay for PAC could serve as a clinically reliable alternative to LC-MS/MS to detect APA among hypertensive patients with more accuracy than the conventional methods. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Establishment of a reference interval for glycated albumin based on medical check-up data from multiple medical institutions

Objectives: Data were collected to establish a reference interval for glycated albumin (GA), as well as to calculate a cutoff value for diagnosing diabetes mellitus and the GA level corresponding to a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) 2 h plasma glucose (2h-PG) level of 200 mg/dL. Methods: This study involved 1,843 subjects who were undergoing medical check-ups at several medical institutions and whose HbA1c and GA levels had been measured by OGTT. Results: The GA reference interval that was calculated based on the data obtained from study subjects with normal glucose tolerance was 12.1–17.1%. Using standardized major axis regression, the levels that corresponded to an OGTT 2h-PG level of 11.1 mmol/L were a GA level of 17.5% and an HbA1c level of 47.5 mmol/mol. A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was used to calculate the points at which sensitivity and specificity matched as the cutoff values, and the results yielded a GA level of 15.0% (sensitivity 69.3%). Conclusions: The GA reference interval was calculated to be 12.1–17.1%. We propose a GA level of 17.4% as a cutoff value to diagnose diabetes mellitus and a GA level of 15.0% as a screening cutoff value for diabetes mellitus, taking previous reports into account.

Abstract P305: New Screening Cutoff Values For Detection Of Aldosteronoma Examined By Lc-ms/ms And A Newly Developed Non-competitive Chemiluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay

Thinking of the poor accuracy of CLEIA and RIA measurements of plasma aldosterone concentrations (PACs), LC-MS/MS is the ideal method but it is costly, labor intensive and time consuming. A novel non-competitive CLEIA (NC-CLEIA) for measuring PACs was recently developed. We validated the accuracy and diagnostic ability of the NC-CLEIA as compared to PACs measured by LC-MS/MS and also determined the screen cutoffs by both measurements, respectively, detecting aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) in hypertensive patients. Method: We measured plasma renin activity by enzyme assay and PACs using LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA in 133 APA, 100 bilateral hyperaldosteronism and 111 essential hypertension patients to examine the accuracy of PACs by this NC--CLEIA as compared with those by LC-MS/MS, and determine the screen cutoffs to detect APA. Passing-Bablok analysis revealed that NC-CLEIA (the regression slope, the intercept and the correlation coefficient were 0.962, -0.043, and 0.994, respectively), was significantly correlated and very equivalent to LC-MS/MS. Bland-Altman plot analysis of NC-CLEIA by LC-MS/MS also demonstrated much smaller systemic errors (a bias of -0.348 ng/dL with limits of agreement of -4.390 and 3.694 and 95% confidence interval) than those . The receiver-operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that cut-offs of aldosterone/renin activity ratio obtained by LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA were 31.2 and 31.5 (ng/dL per ng/mL/hr) with a sensitivity of 91.0% and 90.2%, and a specificity of 75.4% and 76.8%, respectively, to differentiate APA from non-APA. This novel NC-CLEIA for PAC could serve as a clinically reliable alternative to LC-MS/MS.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of c-MYC gene expression in hematological malignancies.

c-MYC plays vital role in regulation of cell proliferation and has been associated with tumorigenesis. This study is aimed at assessing diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma c-MYC expression to aid in early diagnosis and prognosis of hematological malignancies. Plasma c-MYC expression was determined by quantitative real time PCR using EVA Green chemistry and cluster of differentiation markers performed via immunocytochemistry. Plasma c-MYC was higher in subject with hematological malignancies (8.8 ± 1.1) when compared with apparently healthy controls (4.5 ± 0.5). A screening cut-off c-MYC ratio value of 9.42 with sensitivity and specificity of 65.5% and 100% respectively were obtained using receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Plasma c-MYC was found to have no prognostic value using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Plasma c-MYC ratio showed promising screening/diagnostic value for hematological malignancies.

Systematic symptom screening in patients with advanced cancer treated in certified oncology centers: results of the prospective multicenter German KeSBa project

PurposeGuidelines recommend a structured symptom screening (SC) for especially advanced cancer patients (CPs). The aim of this multicenter German prospective quality assurance project KeSBa (Kennzahl Symptom- und Belastungserfassung) was to gain knowledge on SC procedures in Oncology Centers (OCs) for advanced cancer patients and a first impression on the consequences of SC.MethodsThe KeSBa project consisted of three phases: pilot, 3 months screening and feedback phase. Participating OCs decided to use either the Minimal Documentation System (MIDOS) or the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS) and defined the cutoff values for positive screening results.ResultsOut of 172 certified German OCs, 40 (23%) participated in the KeSBa pilot phase, 29 (16.8%) in the 3 months screening phase using MIDOS (n = 18, 58.6%) or IPOS (n = 11, 41.3%) and in the feedback round. 25/29 performed paper-based screening (86.2%). 2.963 CPs were screened. Results were documented for 1255 (42.2%, SC +) positive and 874 (29.5%, SC–) negative screenings depending on the center´s schedules: 452 SC + CPs (28.4%) and 42 SC– CPs (2.6%) had contact to specialized palliative care or other supportive specialist teams afterwards, 458 SC + CPs (28.8%) and 605 SC– CPs (38.1%) remained in standard oncology care. In the feedback round missing resources (personal and IT) and improved communication were mentioned most often.ConclusionRoutine SC is feasible in advanced CPs treated in OCs but associated with considerable workload. In 42.2% of CPs SC was classified as positive, indicating the need of further diagnostics or professional judgment. SC requires staff and IT resources.

Assessment of awake bruxism-Combinational analysis of ecological momentary assessment and electromyography.

No consensus exists regarding the examination methods and assessment criteria for awake bruxism (AB). In this study, masticatory muscle activity measured using electromyography (EMG) was recorded simultaneously with the ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of bruxism events. Data were collected to identify distinctive EMG parameters in AB. A total of 104 individuals were classified into the bruxism (BR) or control (CO) groups based on clinical findings. The participants recorded EMA on a tablet device under continuous EMG recording using a data log-type wireless EMG device. For EMA recording, a warning was randomly provided three times each hour for five hours. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was obtained based on EMA and EMG events. Maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) at the time of maximum bite force was set at 100%. The muscle activity was assessed as a relative value. Based on discriminant analysis, analysis of participants who had four or more positive clenching EMA responses was appropriate. The assessed parameters for the EMG cutoff value determination procedure, which combined EMG and EMA, resulted in a cutoff value that enabled the distinction between the BR and CO groups. The area under the ROC curve was 0.77 and the cut-off value was 3.2 events/hour under the EMG of 20% MVC with a duration of ≥1 s. This is the first study to report a combined analysis of the EMA and EMG. These results suggest its effectiveness as a cutoff value for AB screening.

Usefulness of EUCAST rapid antibiotic susceptibility breakpoints and screening cut-off values directly from blood cultures for the inference of β-lactam resistance mechanisms in Enterobacterales.

Reducing the turnaround time for reporting antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results is important for adjusting empirical treatments and may impact clinical outcomes of septic patients, particularly in settings with high antimicrobial resistance. Disc diffusion could be useful for inferring β-lactam resistance mechanisms. To evaluate the usefulness of EUCAST rapid AST (RAST) disc diffusion breakpoints for the screening of resistance mechanisms (sRAST) and interpretive reading of resistance phenotypes to infer ESBL and carbapenemases production in Enterobacterales. Blood cultures were artificially spiked with Enterobacterales clinical isolates with well-characterized β-lactam resistance mechanisms (n = 93), WT phenotypes (n = 26) and ATCC strains (n = 8). AST was performed by disc diffusion directly from blood cultures and inhibition zones were manually measured at 4, 6 and 8 h. To infer the presence of resistance mechanisms, EUCAST RAST breakpoints and screening cut-off values (sRAST) combined with the double-disc synergy test (DDS) for ESBLs or aztreonam susceptibility for carbapenemases detection were used. DDS together with sRAST detected all ESBL producers as early as at 4 h incubation. Cefotaxime was the antibiotic with the highest discriminatory power. The suspicion of carbapenemase production by sRAST at 8 h was possible in 73% of Klebsiella pneumoniae and in 100% of Escherichia coli carbapenemase-producing isolates. Phenotypic analysis improves the detection of some low hydrolytic carbapenemases (OXA-48 or KPC-3 mutants). Early detection of β-lactam resistance mechanisms directly from positive blood cultures was possible using sRAST together with the interpretive reading of antibiotic resistance phenotypes. Some carbapenemase types such as OXA-48 might be difficult to infer. Screening-positive isolates should be confirmed using an alternative technique.

Fat-Free Mass Index as a Surrogate Marker of Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index for Low Muscle Mass Screening in Sarcopenia.

We aimed to examine the relationship between the fat-free mass index (FFMI; FFM/height2) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI; ASM/height2), measured using both bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and investigate the effects of age and obesity. We also evaluated the suitability of BIA-measured FFMI as a simple surrogate marker of the ASMI and calculated the optimal FFMI cutoff value for low muscle mass screening to diagnose sarcopenia. Cross-sectional study. This study included 1313 adults (women, 33.6%) aged 40-87years (mean age, 55 ± 10years) from the WASEDA'S Health Study. Body composition was measured using multifrequency BIA and DXA. Low muscle mass was defined according to the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia2019. BIA-measured FFMI showed strong positive correlations with both BIA- (r= 0.96) and DXA-measured (r= 0.95) ASMIs. Similarly, in the subgroup analysis according to age and obesity, the FFMI was correlated with the ASMI. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for screening low muscle mass defined by DXA-measured ASMI using BIA-measured FFMI values were 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.97) for men and 0.91 (95% CI 0.87-0.94) for women. The optimal BIA-measured FFMI cutoff values for screening low muscle mass defined by DXA-measured ASMI were 17.5 kg/m2 (sensitivity 89%, specificity 88%) for men and 14.6 kg/m2 (sensitivity 80%, specificity 86%) for women. The FFMI showed a strong positive correlation with BIA- and DXA-measured ASMIs, regardless of age and obesity. The FFMI could be a useful simple surrogate marker of the ASMI for low muscle mass screening in sarcopenia in community settings. The suggested FFMI cutoff values for predicting low muscle mass are <18 kg/m2 in men and <15 kg/m2 in women.

Comparison and optimisation of screening cutoff values for Mycoplasma bovis antibody ELISAs using serum from youngstock.

Mycoplasma bovis-associated disease can cause tremendous production losses, welfare issues and high antimicrobial use. Therefore, screening cattle for M. bovis antibodies before entering the herd is a popular and possibly cost-efficient way to reduce disease introduction. However, interpretation of results can be challenging due to variable accuracy between tests and populations. This study's objectives were to compare the diagnostic test accuracy of three commercially available M. bovis antibody ELISAs (ID-screen, Bio K302 and Bio K432) and to explore optimal cutoff values for screening purposes. A prospective diagnostic test accuracy study was performed on 170 serum samples from youngstock using Bayesian latent class modelling. Samples were categorised using manufacturer and generated cutoff values. Using the manufacturers' guidelines, ID-screen, Bio K432 and Bio K302 showed 97.6%, 67.4% and 33.6% sensitivity, and 78.8%, 97.6% and 99.1% specificity, respectively. Optimised cutoffs resulted in 94.8%, 82.6% and 78.3% sensitivity, and 94.2%, 92.5% and 79.4% specificity, respectively. The highest diagnostic accuracy for detecting M. bovis antibodies was obtained by ID-screen (≥110%). However, by adjusting cutoff values, the sensitivity of Bio-X tests could be markedly increased, making these tests also applicable as screening tools. Interpretation needs to be careful as antibodies may be linked to both infectious and non-infectious status.

Cut-off dilemma: Differences from the forensic and clinic perspective

Opioids are a major concern in many countries due to the serious health consequences associated with their use. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) opioid crisis strategy report states that the number of people using opioids for non-medical purposes around the world has nearly doubled in the last decade and the prevalence of opioid use has increased by 76% in the same period. The same report stated that opioid use is responsible for approximately two-thirds of deaths attributed to substance use disorders worldwide. Opiates are one of the five classes of abused drugs mandated for testing in the Drug Testing Program of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA regulated opiate cut-off value from 300 ng/mL to 2000 ng/mL for clinical cases only in 2010. In our country, similar legislation was made in 2016 and unfortunately, the cut-off value was increased to 2000 ng/mL not only for clinical but also for forensic cases. In this study, it is aimed to examine the effects of the opiate cut-off values of 300 and 2000 ng/mL on the toxicological analysis results. Opiate results were evaluated in terms of 300 and 2000 ng/mL cut-off values in the urine samples of the cases who applied to Ege University BATI Institute, Addiction Toxicology Laboratory between 2014–2021 with illegal substance analysis. Urine samples were accepted to the laboratory and urine integrity test was performed before analysis. Urine samples were first subjected to pre-screening analysis by immunoassay method. Confirmation analysis was performed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS, Agilent 7890B) of the samples that were positive after the pre-scan analysis. A total of 11,348 cases were screened in terms of opiates and the mean age of the cases is 25.4. Of the total cases, 3.45% ( n = 392) were opiate positive. Of the total cases, 83.7% ( n = 328) were male and 16.1% ( n = 64) of them were female. When the cases were classified according to the admitted reasons for the analysis request; alcohol, substance and drug use reason were 67,3%, psychiatric disorders 20.9% and 1.5% due to war & injury and falling, 7,4% for other reasons. According to the cut-off value of 300 ng/mL, the rate of opiate positive cases between 300 < n < 2000 were 39.8%. The cut-off value of 2000 ng/mL, the rate of 2000 < n opiate positive cases were 60.2%. According to the results, if the cases between 2014 and 2021 were evaluated according to the 300 ng/mL cut-off value, treatment and/or forensic proceedings would have been applied to 156 people because they were opiate positive. However, the presence of morphine in the urine samples of forensic toxicological cases, which may cause opiate positivity can be caused by legal prescription drugs, oral use of poppy seeds, or drug use. As the intake of some codeine-containing drugs even at therapeutic amounts and ingestion of food products containing poppy seeds can give a positive opiate result with the 300 ng/mL screening cut-off value, the most appropriate thresholds should extensively studied. The cut-off values used in forensic toxicological analyzes should be paid special attention in clinical and forensic analyzes. Since the cut-off values used in clinical and forensic cases are the same, awareness is the responsibility of forensic toxicologists and the physician who evaluates them medico-legally. Even in the presence of heroin and morphine in the urine matrix, too many true positive cases can be overlooked, since the threshold value used for forensic purposes is the same as that used for clinical purposes and remains below this value.

Ophthalmic artery Doppler for pre-eclampsia prediction at the first trimester: a Bayesian survival-time model.

To develop a Bayesian survival-time model for the prediction of pre-eclampsia (PE) at the first trimester using a combination of established biomarkers including maternal characteristics and history, mean arterial pressure (MAP), uterine artery Doppler pulsatility index (UtA-PI), and Placental Growth Factor (PlGF)) with an ophthalmic artery Doppler peak ratio (PR) analysis. The receiving operator curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine the area under the curve (AUC), detection rate (DR), and positive screening cut-off value of the model in predicting the occurrence of early-onset PE (< 34weeks' gestation) and preterm PE (< 37weeks' gestation). Of the 946 eligible participants, 71 (7.49%) subjects were affected by PE. The incidences of early-onset and preterm PE were 1% and 2.2%, respectively. At a 10% false-positive rate, using the high-risk cut-off 1:49, with AUC 0.981 and 95%CI 0.965-0.998, this model had an 100% of DR in predicting early-onset PE. The DR of this model in predicting preterm PE is 71% when using 1:13 as the cut-off, with AUC 0.919 and 95%CI 0.875-0.963. Combination ophthalmic artery Doppler PR with the previously established biomarkers could improve the accuracy of early and preterm PE prediction at the first trimester screening.