Diagnostic Algorithm For Patients Research Articles

Therapeutic and Diagnostic Algorithm for Patients with Obstructive Jaundice Based on the Estimation of the Optical Characteristics of the Liver and Bile

Therapeutic and Diagnostic Algorithm for Patients with Obstructive Jaundice Based on the Estimation of the Optical Characteristics of the Liver and Bile

Evaluation of the hematological inflammatory parameters in the patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura: A case-control study.

Inflammation is one of the immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)'s aggravating elements due to inflammatory cells' function. This study aims to identify and evaluate hematological inflammatory parameters, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and hemoglobin-to-platelet ratio (HPR), in patients with ITP compared to the control group. We retrospectively analyzed the profile of 190 ITP patients from August 2019 to January 2021 at Imam Reza Hospital of Mashhad, Iran, along with 100 healthy individuals who had no ITP-related clinical or laboratory symptoms. Immune cell counts, NLR, PLR, and HPR were calculated using the complete blood count at the time of diagnosis and after the treatment. The results were analyzed through MedCalc, SPSS software, and the receiver operating characteristiccurve. The result showed that white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts were higher in ITP patients (WBC: p: 0.001, neutrophil: p: 0.001), and conversely, platelet and lymphocyte counts were higher in the control group compared to ITP patients (platelets: p: 0.001, lymphocytes: p: 0.001). The indices analysis between the two groups revealed that NLR was significantly increased in ITP patients (p: 0.001), but PLR was significantly reduced in ITP patients (with the mean platelet count of 23.44 ± 35.26 × 109/L) compared to the control group (with the mean platelet count of 234.04 ± 55.88 × 109/L). The HPR index also significantly increased in ITP patients (p: 0.001). An increase in NLR, PLR, and a decrease in HPR can be considered a valuable diagnostic algorithm in patients with ITP.

The FGF14 GAA repeat expansion in Greek patients with late-onset cerebellar ataxia and an overview of the SCA27B phenotype across populations.

A pathogenic GAA repeat expansion in the first intron of the fibroblast growth factor 14 gene (FGF14) has been recently identified as the cause of spinocerebellar ataxia 27B (SCA27B). We herein screened 160 Greek index cases with late-onset cerebellar ataxia (LOCA) for FGF14 repeat expansions using a combination of long-range PCR and bidirectional repeat-primed PCRs. We identified 19 index cases (12%) carrying a pathogenic FGF14 GAA expansion, a diagnostic yield higher than that of previously screened repeat-expansion ataxias in Greek LOCA patients. The age at onset of SCA27B patients was 60.5 ± 12.3 years (range, 34-80). Episodic onset (37%), downbeat nystagmus (32%) and vertigo (26%) were significantly more frequent in FGF14 expansion-positive cases compared to expansion-negative cases. Beyond typical cerebellar signs, SCA27B patients often displayed hyperreflexia (47%) and reduced vibration sense in the lower extremities (42%). The frequency and phenotypic profile of SCA27B in Greek patients was similar to most other previously studied populations. We conclude that FGF14 GAA repeat expansions are the commonest known genetic cause of LOCA in the Greek population and recommend prioritizing testing for FGF14 expansions in the diagnostic algorithm of patients with LOCA.

Differential diagnosis of ascites: etiologies, ascitic fluid analysis, diagnostic algorithm.

Ascites is the pathological accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity. It often occurs as results of liver cirrhosis, malignant neoplasia, tuberculous infection, cardiac insufficiency, renal diseases, etc. Determining the etiology is an essential step in the management of patients with new-onset ascites. Abdominal paracentesis with appropriate ascitic fluid analysis is probably the most cost-effective method of determining the cause of ascites. We performed a literature search of PubMed and identified articles published in the field of ascites, to evaluate diagnostic values of various parameters in defining the etiologies of ascites and then provides diagnostic algorithm for patients with new-onset ascites. In patients with ascites, the constituent ratio of underlying etiology varies between developed and developing countries. It is a challenge to define the etiologies of ascites in developing countries. Routine ascitic fluid analysis should include the serum ascites albumin gradient (SAAG), total protein concentration, cell count and differential. Optional ascitic fluid analysis includes cholesterol, fluid culture, cytology, tumor markers, lactate dehydrogenase, adenosine deaminase (ADA), triglyceride, amylase, glucose, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), etc. Our review evaluated diagnostic values of the above parameters in defining the etiologies of ascites. Diagnostic algorithm established in this review would provide a practical and convenient diagnostic strategy for clinicians in diagnosing patients with new-onset ascites.

Cost-effectiveness of NT-proBNP-supported screening of chronic heart failure in patients with or without type 2 diabetes in Austria and Switzerland

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome with a global burden. Signs and symptoms of HF are nonspecific and often shared with other conditions. The N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) serves as a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of HF not only in patients with acute symptoms but also in outpatients with an ambiguous clinical presentation. The aim of the analysis is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of implementing NT-proBNP in the diagnostic algorithm in patients with/without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), compared with a diagnosis based primarily on clinical signs or symptoms from the perspective of the Austrian and Swiss healthcare system.MethodsA time-discrete Markov model was developed to simulate the effect/improvement (lifetime-costs, quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs], and life-years [LYs]) due to an NT-proBNP screening in undetected HF patients. Undetected HF patients are included in the model according to a distribution of New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes. The model considers disease progression by transition of NYHA classes. Undetected patients may remain undetected or be detected with the help of NT-proBNP or symptoms. Patients with known HF exhibit a slower disease progression. The probability of dying is influenced by the respective NYHA class. Direct costs (2021 € or CHF) were derived from published sources. QALYs, LYs, and costs were discounted (3% p.a.).ResultsIn the per-patient analysis (at age 60 over lifetime), the incremental cost–utility ratio (ICUR)/QALY of NT-proBNP vs. no screening was €3,042 for HF patients in Austria. Considering the total cohort of undetected HF patients (n = 9,377) with the corresponding age structure over a lifetime, the ICUR increases to €4,356. In Switzerland, the per-patient results show an ICUR of CHF 897. Considering the total cohort of undetected HF patients (n = 6,826) the ICUR amounts to CHF 4,513. If indirect costs are considered, NT-proBNP screening becomes the dominant strategy in both countries.ConclusionOverall, the analysis concludes that screening with NT-proBNP is a highly cost-effective or cost-saving diagnostic option for patients with HF, and a sensitivity analysis confirmed these findings.

Optimization of preconception care in the program of miscarriage prevention in patients with reduced reproductive potential due to endometrial hyperplasia and obesity

Summary. One of the most severe consequences of endometrial hyperplasia in the reproductive age is infertility, and the fact of miscarriage and an increase in the rate of spontaneous abortions in obesity is currently proven. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an optimized program of preconception care and pregnancy monitoring in patients with impaired reproductive function against the background of endometrial hyperplasia and obesity. Research materials and methods. All 100 women with impaired reproductive function against the background of endometrial hyperplasia and BMI>30 kg/m2 underwent a comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination and were divided into two groups by the method of blind sampling: the main group included 50 patients, who were offered an optimized program of preconception care, and the comparison group consisted of 50 women who received traditional folate therapy. The effectiveness of therapeutic options and rehabilitation measures was evaluated 3 months after the completion of the endometrial pathology treatment program and monitored during the year based on the results of natural fertility cycles, cycles of the IVF program, taking into account the proportion of pregnancy complications, its consequences and the percentage of live births. Research results and their discussion. Pregnancy in overweight women is accompanied by a higher percentage of early reproductive loss (20.0%), preterm birth (16.0%), preeclampsia, especially severe form (45.0%), placental dysfunction, and low birth weight babies (15.0%), as well as failed IVF program attempts. Out of 100 examined patients with endometrial hyperplasia against the background of a violation of fat metabolism, 15 patients (15.0%) decided to postpone reproductive plans, 32 women (32.0%) were offered an IVF program after two unsuccessful ovulation inductions in a natural fertility cycle, 43 patients (43.0%) had a spontaneous pregnancy, 10 women (10.0%) did not get pregnant. At the time of the analysis of the final conclusions, it should be noted a 1.9 times higher share of spontaneous pregnancy, a 2.1 times higher share of successful IVF attempts, a 1.5 times higher share of live births, and 4.2 times less reproductive failures. The risk of retrochorial hematoma in the comparison group increases 4.1 times (OR=4.14, 95% CI: (1.30-13.21; p<0.05), as well as the risk of early reproductive losses (OR= 3.12, 95% CI: (1.21-8.02; p<0.05), and the possibility of successful termination of pregnancy in the main group exceeds such data in the comparison group by 6.0 times (OR=6.0, 95%, CI: (1.75-20.62; p<0.05). Conclusions. Careful monitoring and diagnostic algorithm in patients with endometrial hyperplasia, as a significant factor in subfertility, allows choosing a rational personalized approach to the use of minimally invasive visual techniques and rehabilitative therapeutic options for restoring the morphofunctional state of the endometrium and metabolic parameters, as well as developing adequate preconception care, reducing probable reproductive losses in 4.2 times and creating prerequisites for a 1.5-fold increase in the proportion of live births in this category of patients.

Diagnostic algorithms in patients with chronic coronary syndromes — what does clinical practice show?

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2019 guidelines propose a novel diagnostic algorithm for examining stable patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). In retrospective analysis of previous studies, a new pretest probability scale was validated and a method for assessing clinical probability of obstructive CAD was proposed, taking into account risk factors and coronary artery calcium score. The results were studied in the EURECA multicenter registry, and the ESC-2019 diagnostic algorithm was compared with other known algorithms. The review details the results of these recently published studies, emphasizing the role of calcium score assessment in identifying low-risk patients for obstructive CAD. The review also considers publications using computed tomography coronary angiography as a "gatekeeper" among patients selected for invasive coronary angiography. The results obtained showed the effectiveness of novel diagnostic strategies in increasing the detection rate of obstructive CAD. However, clinical outcomes of any diagnostic algorithm are few and require further study, as well as their cost-effectiveness.

Impact of pre-hospital handling and initial time to cranial computed tomography on outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients with out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest-a retrospective bi-centric study.

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) presents occasionally with cardiac arrest (CA). The impact of pre-hospital and emergency room (ER) treatment on outcome remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the impact of pre-hospital treatment, focusing on lay cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and ER handling on the outcome of SAH patients with out-of-hospital CA (OHCA). In this bi-centric retrospective analysis, we reviewed SAH databases for OHCA and CPR from January 2011 to June 2021. Patients were analyzed for general clinical and epidemiological parameters. CPR data were obtained from ambulance reports and information on ER handling from the medical records. Data were correlated with patient survival at hospital discharge as a predefined outcome parameter. Of 1,120 patients with SAH, 45 (4.0%) were identified with OHCA and CPR, 38 of whom provided all required information and were included in this study. Time to resuscitation was significantly shorter with lay resuscitation (5.3 ± 5.2 min vs. 0.3 ± 1.2 min, p = 0.003). Nineteen patients were not initially scheduled for cranial computed tomography (CCT), resulting in a significantly longer time interval to first CCT (mean ± SD: 154 ± 217 min vs. 40 ± 23 min; p < 0.001). Overall survival to discharge was 31.6%. Pre-hospital lay CPR was not associated with higher survival (p = 0.632). However, we observed a shorter time to first CCT in surviving patients (p = 0.065). OHCA in SAH patients is not uncommon. Besides high-quality CPR, time to diagnosis of SAH appears to play an important role. We therefore recommend considering CCT diagnostics as part of the diagnostic algorithm in patients with OHCA.

Association of Circulating Tumor DNA Testing Before Tissue Diagnosis With Time to Treatment Among Patients With Suspected Advanced Lung Cancer

Liquid biopsy has emerged as a complement to tumor tissue profiling for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The optimal way to integrate liquid biopsy into the diagnostic algorithm for patients with newly diagnosed advanced NSCLC remains unclear. To evaluate the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) genotyping before tissue diagnosis among patients with suspected advanced NSCLC and its association with time to treatment. This single-group nonrandomized clinical trial was conducted among 150 patients at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre-University Health Network (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) between July 1, 2021, and November 30, 2022. Patients referred for investigation and diagnosis of lung cancer were eligible if they had radiologic evidence of advanced lung cancer prior to a tissue diagnosis. Patients underwent plasma ctDNA testing with a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay before lung cancer diagnosis. Diagnostic biopsy and tissue NGS were performed per standard of care. The primary end point was time from referral to treatment initiation among patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC using ctDNA testing before diagnosis (ACCELERATE [Accelerating Lung Cancer Diagnosis Through Liquid Biopsy] cohort). This cohort was compared with a reference cohort using standard tissue genotyping after tissue diagnosis. Of the 150 patients (median age at diagnosis, 68 years [range, 33-91 years]; 80 men [53%]) enrolled, 90 (60%) had advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. The median time to treatment was 39 days (IQR, 27-52 days) for the ACCELERATE cohort vs 62 days (IQR, 44-82 days) for the reference cohort (P < .001). Among the ACCELERATE cohort, the median turnaround time from sample collection to genotyping results was 7 days (IQR, 6-9 days) for plasma and 23 days (IQR, 18-28 days) for tissue NGS (P < .001). Of the 90 patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC, 21 (23%) started targeted therapy before tissue NGS results were available, and 11 (12%) had actionable alterations identified only through plasma testing. This nonrandomized clinical trial found that the use of plasma ctDNA genotyping before tissue diagnosis among patients with suspected advanced NSCLC was associated with accelerated time to treatment compared with a reference cohort undergoing standard tissue testing. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04863924.

Utility of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in parotid pleomorphic adenoma diagnosis and management.

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA), the most common benign tumour of the parotid gland, requires accurate preoperative diagnosis owing to its capacity for malignant transformation. The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience with ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the diagnostic algorithm for patients with PA and to assess clinical outcomes for those with different surgical approaches. We carried out a retrospective analysis of patients treated for parotid gland mass between 2010 and 2016. These had had preoperative FNAB and had undergone subsequent surgery. 165 patients had FNAB with the result of PA and the definitive histology confirmed PA in 159 cases (96.4%). On the other hand, in 179 patients, the definitive histology showed PA and the preoperative FNAB result corresponded in 159 cases (88.9%). The measured sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of ultrasound-guided FNAB in the diagnosis of PA were, respectively, 88.83%, 96.23% and 92.31%. Most of the patients underwent superficial or partial superficial parotidectomy, followed by extracapsular dissection which was associated with statistically lower risk of facial nerve injury (P=0.04). Ultrasound-guided FNAB is simple, accurate and valuable in the diagnosis of PA and provides results that can lead to the choice of less invasive operative treatment.

0470 Factors Associated with Discordant Initial Home Sleep Apnea Testing and Polysomnography

Abstract Introduction Nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Home sleep apnea tests (HSAT) have been incorporated in the diagnostic algorithm in patients with a high pre-test suspicion of OSA. While many studies have compared HSATs with PSGs, it is not well understood what factors may be responsible for inconclusive HSAT results. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of adult patients who underwent a non-diagnostic HSAT evaluation, who subsequently tested positive for OSA (on PSG) between 1/1/2022 and 11/1/2022. We collected demographic and sleep study data. Patients who did not have a follow up PSG were excluded. Results A total of 20 patients were reviewed. 80% had a negative HSAT with a positive subsequent PSG. The average age was 33.9 years (SD +/- 11.3 years). 43% were male and 50% were Caucasian. The average BMI was 29 kg/m2 (SD +/- 5.3 kg/m2). The average Epworth Sleepiness Scale score (ESS) was 8 (median 6.5) with only 31% reporting an ESS &amp;gt;10. The average HSAT recording time was 449.1 minutes. The average respiratory disturbance index (RDI) on the follow up PSG was 17.7 events/hour of sleep (SD +/- 12). Only 1 patient was diagnosed with severe OSA. 38% were diagnosed with anxiety in this cohort. Other co-morbidities were insignificant. Of all the HSATs performed, 40% were denied for an initial PSG evaluation and converted to an HSAT evaluation. Conclusion HSATs are validated in patients with a high pretest probability of OSA. Anxiety was found in one third of patients included (possibly contributing to a negative initial HSAT). Patient demographics however were also not remarkable for a high risk of OSA in this group (e.g. non-obese, &amp;lt; 55 years, female). The subsequent diagnosis for OSA was also only mild or moderate (93.8%) in this lower risk cohort. Hence, another explanation for the initial negative HSAT evaluation may have been the insurance denial of the initial PSG request (40%). Denials of low risk patients for PSG may contribute to a misuse of resources. We also need to educate referring physicians to follow appropriate HSAT ordering criteria (based on high OSA risk factors). Support (if any)

Diagnostic performance of laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration for the detection of choledocholithiasis in patients with negative MRCP.

There is little research to evaluate laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct (CBD) exploration (LTCBDE) as a diagnostic test to identify choledocholithiasis undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). This study aimed to assess the technical success and safety of LTCBDE in patients with suspected choledocholithiasis but negative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) undergoing LC. We did an ambispective cohort study in patients with gallstones and suspected CBD stones but negative MRCP undergoing LC. The primary outcomes were the rate of complications in the hospital. Between January 2010 and December 2018, 620 patients (median age, 58years; 58.4% female) were eligible for the study. The success rate of LTCBDE was 91.8% and CBD stones were observed in 53.3% with a stone clearance rate of 99.3%. The overall postoperative complication rate was 0.65% and no death was recorded in the total cohort. Notably, the morbidity in LTCBDE is 0.53%. Retained CBD stones were diagnosed in 2 patients and managed by ERCP successfully. In the LTCBDE cohort, the median duration of operation was 78 (60-100) min and the median postoperative hospital stay was 1 (1-2) days. Overall, at a mean follow-up of 4.1 (2.3-6.1) years, recurrent CBD stones occurred in 1.1% and all-cause mortality in 0.6%. LTCBDE should be considered the favored choice in the diagnostic algorithm for patients with suspected choledocholithiasis but negative MRCP undergoing LC.

Rising and Falling High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin in Diagnostic Algorithms for Patients With Suspected Myocardial Infarction.

Background High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn)-based diagnostic algorithms are recommended for the management of patients with suspected myocardial infarction (MI) without ST elevation. Although mirroring different phases of myocardial injury, falling and rising troponin patterns (FPs and RPs, respectively) are equally considered by most algorithms. We aimed to compare the performance of diagnostic protocols for RPs and FPs, separately. Methods and Results We pooled 2 prospective cohorts of patients with suspected MI and stratified patients to stable, FP, and RP during serial sampling separately for hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT and applied the European Society of Cardiology 0/1- and 0/3-hour algorithms comparing the positive predictive values to rule in MI. Overall, 3523 patients were included in the hs-cTnI study population. The positive predictive value for patients with an FP was significantly reduced compared with patients with an RP (0/1-hour: FP, 53.3% [95% CI, 45.0-61.4] versus RP, 76.9 [95% CI, 71.6-81.7]; 0/3-hour: FP, 56.9% [95% CI, 42.2-70.7] versus RP, 78.1% [95% CI, 74.0-81.8]). The proportion of patients in the observe zone was larger in the FP using 0/1-hour (31.3% versus 55.8%) and 0/3-hour (14.6% versus 38.6%) algorithms. Alternative cutoffs did not improve algorithm performances. Compared with stable hs-cTn, the risk for death or MI was highest in those with an FP (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], hs-cTnI 2.3 [95% CI, 1.7-3.2]; RP adjusted HR, hs-cTnI 1.8 [95% CI, 1.4-2.4]). Findings were similar for hs-cTnT tested in 3647 patients overall. Conclusions The positive predictive value to rule in MI by the European Society of Cardiology 0/1- and 0/3-hour algorithms is significantly lower in patients with FP than RP. These are at highest risk for incident death or MI. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifiers: NCT02355457, NCT03227159.

Diabetes and cognitive function: An evidence-based current perspective.

Several epidemiological studies have clearly identified diabetes mellitus (DM) as a major risk factor for cognitive dysfunction, and it is going to be a major public health issue in the coming years because of the alarming rise in diabetes prevalence across the world. Brain and neural tissues predominantly depend on glucose as energy substrate and hence, any alterations in carbohydrate meta-bolism can directly impact on cerebral functional output including cognition, executive capacity, and memory. DM affects neuronal function and mental capacity in several ways, some of which include hypoperfusion of the brain tissues from cerebrovascular disease, diabetes-related alterations of glucose transporters causing abnormalities in neuronal glucose uptake and metabolism, local hyper- and hypometabolism of brain areas from insulin resistance, and recurrent hypoglycemic episodes inherent to pharmacotherapy of diabetes resulting in neuronal damage. Cognitive decline can further worsen diabetes care as DM is a disease largely self-managed by patients. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the pathobiology of cognitive dysfunction in relation to DM and its management for optimal long-term care plan for patients. A thorough appraisal of normal metabolic characteristics of the brain, how alterations in neural metabolism affects cognition, the diagnostic algorithm for patients with diabetes and dementia, and the management and prognosis of patients when they have this dangerous combination of illnesses is imperative in this context. This evidence-based narrative with the back-up of latest clinical trial reviews elaborates the current understanding on diabetes and cognitive function to empower physicians to manage their patients in day-to-day clinical practice.

Hypnotic suggestion for the treatment of tinnitus

Aim of study. Considering the high spreading of tinnitus in population, the purpose of our research was to study the possibility and expediency of using hypnosuggestive therapy in treatment of tinnitus. Material and methods. The study included 55 people with tinnitus complaints. We divided three groups of patients depending on the severity of the manifestations, audiometry results, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score according to this scale of severity, results of GAD-7 test and the PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire -9). Results. In the first group of patients, according to the tinnitus severity scale the score was up to 19 points and was considered as insignificant and mild. The score of the GAD-7 questionnaire was less than 8 points, PHQ-9 - up to 5 points. In the second group the severity of tinnitus was moderate and severe and counted more than 38 points. The GAD-7 questionnaire score was less than 8 points, PHQ-9 - up to 5 points. In the third group, 12 people complained of chronic tinnitus, sleep disturbances, nervousness, and reduced work capacity. The score of tinnitus severity in patients of this group was more than 58 points and was assessed as severe and catastrophic. According to the results of the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 questionnaires, all 12 people were diagnosed with anxiety disorders and depression, two parients even had suicidal thoughts. In the third group of patients with +++ hypnotability, after ten sessions of individual hypno-suggestive therapy, it was possible to reduce the severity of tinnitus to the third moderate degree in 7 people. 4 patients reported about complete regress of tinnitus. Conclusions. Tinnitus is a common problem and can negatively affect work, family and social life. It requires the individual approach and involvement of specialists of various profiles in the diagnostic process. The diagnostic algorithm for patients with tinnitus should include questionnaires to estimate the psychosomatic profile. The use of hypno-suggestive therapy can significantly reduce the severity of tinnitus and improve the quality of lives of patients.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity troponin T hold diagnostic value in cardiac amyloidosis.

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is associated with an elevation of natriuretic peptides and troponins, predicting outcome. Nevertheless, the diagnostic yield of these biomarkers has not been extensively investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance for CA of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT). Patients with suspected CA (n=1149) underwent a diagnostic work-up in three centres in Italy, France (n=343, derivation cohort), and United Kingdom (n=806, validation cohort). Biomarker values with either 100% sensitivity or ≥95% specificity were selected as rule-out/rule-in cut-offs, respectively. In the derivation cohort, 227 patients (66%) had CA, and presented with higher NT-proBNP and hs-TnT. NT-proBNP 180 ng/L and hs-TnT 14 ng/L were selected as rule-out cut-offs, and hs-TnT 86 ng/L as rule-in cut-off. NT-proBNP <180 ng/L or hs-TnT <14 ng/L were found in 7% of patients, and ruled out CA without false negatives. In the validation cohort, 20% of patients (2% false negatives) had NT-proBNP <180 ng/L or hs-TnT <14 ng/L, and 10% showed both biomarkers below cut-offs (0.5% false negatives). These cut-offs refined CA prediction when added to echocardiographic scores in patients with a haematologic disease or an increased wall thickness. In the validation cohort, the 86 ng/L hs-TnT cut-off ruled in 20% of patients (2% false positives). NT-proBNP and hs-TnT cut-offs retained their rule-out and rule-in performance also in cohorts with CA prevalence of 20%, 10%, 5% and 1% derived from the original cohort through bootstrap analysis. Cardiac biomarkers can refine the diagnostic algorithm in patients with suspected CA. NT-proBNP <180 ng/L and hs-TnT <14 ng/L reliably exclude the diagnosis, both in the overall population and subgroups referred for either AL-CA or cardiac (pseudo)hypertrophy.

Endoscopic ultrasonography and transpapillary interventions in the therapeutic and diagnostic algorithm in patients with parapapillary duodenal diverticulum

Endoscopic ultrasonography and transpapillary interventions in the therapeutic and diagnostic algorithm in patients with parapapillary duodenal diverticulum

Диагностическая эффективность контраст-усиленного ультразвукового исследования у пациентов с хроническими вирусными гепатитами

Aim: to determine the diagnostic efficiency of contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the liver in patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C. Study Design: open randomized study. Materials and methods. 240 people were examined on the basis of the Smolensk Clinical Hospital No. 1 from 2019 to 2021: patients with chronic viral hepatitis who have been examined by contrast-enhanced ultrasound; patients with chronic viral hepatitis who have not been examined by contrast-enhanced ultrasound to determine the diagnostic effectiveness of the method in assessing the complicated course development, patients without chronic viral hepatitis who have been examined by contrast-enhanced ultrasound to determine the standardized CEUS parameters. Liver biopsy and shear wave elastography were used as reference methods. Results. It was found that the greatest changes in contrast-enhanced ultrasound parameters were observed in patients with F4 fibrosis stage according to the METAVIR score. It was also found that the assessment of qualitative parameters according to the proposed standardized program has the highest diagnostic potential, and among the quantitative parameters — the difference of quantitative parameters in the proximal and distal zones (time of arrival, time to peak, peak intensity, half-time washout). Conclusion. The use of a contrast agent increases the value of the ultrasound method in the diagnostic algorithm for patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Keywords: contrast-enhanced ultrasound, chronic viral hepatitis, contrast agent, arterial phase, portal venous phase, late venous phase, qualitative parameters, quantitative parameters.

490 NT-PROBNP AND HIGH-SENSITIVITY TROPONIN T HOLD DIAGNOSTIC VALUE IN CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS

Abstract Background Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is associated with an elevation of natriuretic peptides and troponins, predicting outcome. Nevertheless, the diagnostic yield of these biomarkers has not been extensively investigated. Aim To evaluate the diagnostic performance for CA of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT). Methods Patients with suspected CA (n=1,149) underwent a diagnostic work-up in 3 Centers in Italy, France (n=343, derivation cohort), and United Kingdom (n=806, validation cohort). Biomarker values with either 100% sensitivity or ≥95% specificity were selected as rule-out/rule-in cut-offs, respectively. Results In the derivation cohort, 227 patients (66%) had CA, and presented with higher NT-proBNP and hs-TnT. NT-proBNP 180 ng/L and hs-TnT 14 ng/L were selected as rule-out cut-offs, and hs-TnT 86 ng/L as rule-in cut-off. NT-proBNP &amp;lt;180 ng/L or hs-TnT &amp;lt;14 ng/L were found in 7% of patients, ruled out without false negatives. In the validation cohort, 20% of patients (2% false negatives) had NT-proBNP &amp;lt;180 ng/L or hs-TnT &amp;lt;14 ng/L, and 10% showed both biomarkers below cut-offs (0.5% false negatives). These cut-offs refined CA prediction when added to echocardiographic scores in patients with a hematologic disease or an increased wall thickness. In the validation cohort, the 86 ng/L hs-TnT cut-off ruled in 20% of patients (2% false positives). Conclusions Cardiac biomarkers can refine the diagnostic algorithm in patients with suspected CA. NT-proBNP &amp;lt;180 ng/L and hs-TnT &amp;lt;14 ng/L reliably exclude the diagnosis (Figure), both in the overall population and subgroups referred for either AL-CA or cardiac (pseudo)hypertrophy.

728 GALECTINE-3 AND SST2 IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS: AN EARLY DETECTION OF PULMONARY VASCULAR INVOLVEMENT IS REALLY POSSIBLE?

Abstract Introduction Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) that may also be associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD). In particular, PAH may affect from 5 to 19% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), leading to a significant prognostic worsening. The current challenge is an early detection of PAH in such patients, in order to provide an early referral to PH centers to supply specific therapies as soon as possible. In the latest ESC guidelines for PH, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has been included in the diagnostic algorithm for patients with unexplained exertional dyspnoea and/or suspected PH. Patients with PAH show a typical pattern, with a low end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PETCO2), high ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2), low oxygen pulse (VO2/ HR) and low peak oxygen uptake (VO2). CPET may identify patients with SSc at low risk of PAH, to avoid unnecessary right heart catheterization (RHC). However, CPET is not available in all centers. So, we designed a preliminary study to identify new biomarkers that correlate with CPET's parameters. Material and Methods We enrolled 62 SSc patients [53 females, median age 52 years] with no other comorbidities and asymptomatic for dyspnea or other symptoms. 56% and 44% of them presented limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc), respectively. For all patients we performed serum analysis for sST2, Galectine-3, pro-ANP, BNP and IL6, diagnostic imaging with echocardiography and cardiac MRI, CPET and pulmonary functionality test (PFT). Results All patients presented normal echocardiographic and RMI imaging findings. Galectin-3, sST2, pro-ANP, BNP and IL6 presented respectively the following median value: 13.45 ng/mL [11.78; 18.70], 23.25 ng/mL [13.04; 43.35], 1897 fmol/ml [1487; 2445], 12.18 pg/mL [9.34; 15.01]. Both Galectin-3 and sST2 showed a linear correlation with VE/VCO2 slope with R 0.339 (P-value 0.018) and 0.355 (P-value 0.013) respectively. After linear regression analysis, Galectin-3 and sST2 were overall statistically significant with R2 of 0.115 and 0.126, F of 5.97 and 6.62 and P-value of 0.018 and 0.013, respectively. It was found that Galectin-3 and SST2 significantly predicted VE/VCO2 slope with β = 0.364 [0,064; 0,665] for Galectin-3 and 0.137 [0,030; 0,244] for SST2. All other CPET parameters did not show correlation with the biomarkers. Conclusion Our preliminary results suggest that Galectine-3 and sST2 may be useful biomarkers for predicting increasing VE/VCO2 slope. Future analysis may confirm the role of these new biomarkers for early detection of pulmonary vascular involvement in SSc patients to allow an early referral and treatment and, conversely, to avoid unnecessary RHC.