scholarly journals Brain-Dead and Coma Patients Exhibit Different Serum Metabolic Profiles: A Novel Diagnostic Approach in Neurocritical Care

Author(s):  
Tomasz Dawiskiba ◽  
Wojciech Wojtowicz ◽  
Badr Qasem ◽  
Marceli Łukaszewski ◽  
Karolina Anna Mielko ◽  
...  

Abstract There is a clear difference between severe brain damage and brain death. However, in clinical practice, the differentiation of these states can be challenging. Currently, there are no laboratory tools that facilitate brain death diagnosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of serum metabolomic analysis in differentiating coma patients (CP) from individuals with brain death (BD). Serum samples were collected from 23 adult individuals with established diagnosis of brain death and 24 patients in coma with Glasgow Coma Scale 3 or 4, with no other clinical symptoms of brain death for at least 7 days after sample collection. Serum metabolomic profiles were investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results obtained were examined by univariate and multivariate data analysis (PCA, PLS-DA, and OPLS-DA). Metabolic profiling allowed us to quantify 43 resonance signals, of which 34 were identified. Multivariate statistical modeling revealed a highly significant separation between coma patients and brain-dead individuals, as well as strong predictive potential. The findings not only highlight the potential of the metabolomic approach for distinguishing patients in coma from those in the state of brain death but also may provide an understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these conditions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Dawiskiba ◽  
Wojciech Wojtowicz ◽  
Badr Qasem ◽  
Marceli Łukaszewski ◽  
Karolina Anna Mielko ◽  
...  

AbstractThere is a clear difference between severe brain damage and brain death. However, in clinical practice, the differentiation of these states can be challenging. Currently, there are no laboratory tools that facilitate brain death diagnosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of serum metabolomic analysis in differentiating coma patients (CP) from individuals with brain death (BD). Serum samples were collected from 23 adult individuals with established diagnosis of brain death and 24 patients in coma with Glasgow Coma Scale 3 or 4, with no other clinical symptoms of brain death for at least 7 days after sample collection. Serum metabolomic profiles were investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The results obtained were examined by univariate and multivariate data analysis (PCA, PLS-DA, and OPLS-DA). Metabolic profiling allowed us to quantify 43 resonance signals, of which 34 were identified. Multivariate statistical modeling revealed a highly significant separation between coma patients and brain-dead individuals, as well as strong predictive potential. The findings not only highlight the potential of the metabolomic approach for distinguishing patients in coma from those in the state of brain death but also may provide an understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these conditions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl González-Domínguez ◽  
Tamara García-Barrera ◽  
José-Luis Gómez-Ariza

AbstractAlzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease, but there is still no cure and early diagnosis remains very difficult. For this reason, the discovery of new biomarkers is of great importance. The application of metabolomics is emerging in this field, based on the use of mass spectrometry as a technique of analysis. In this work, blood serum samples (from Alzheimer’s disease patients and healthy controls) were analysed by mass spectrometry in order to search for potential metabolomic biomarkers. The application of multivariate statistical tools (PLS-DA) enabled us to discriminate between groups. In addition, some phosphatidylcholine compounds were identified as markers of the disease.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1886-1896 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Paulo Victorino ◽  
Karina Dal Sasso Mendes ◽  
Úrsula Marcondes Westin ◽  
Jennifer Tatisa Jubileu Magro ◽  
Carlos Alexandre Curylofo Corsi ◽  
...  

Background: Organ donation and transplantation represent one of the most important scientific advances over the last decades. Due to the complexity of these procedures and related ethical–legal aspects, however, there are a lot of doubts and uncertainty about the brain death diagnosis and the maintenance of potential organ donor. Aim: To identify and discuss the different meanings and experiences of registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit in relation to the diagnosis of brain death and the maintenance of potential organ donors for transplantation purposes. Study Design: Participants were registered nurses and physicians from an adult intensive care unit at a University Hospital from Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing Research Ethics Committee. Results: Two main categories emerged from the analysis: (1) brain death diagnosis and its implications and (2) maintenance of the potential organ donor and its repercussion in the donation–transplantation process. Six subcategories were also identified: (1.1) understanding the brain death diagnosis as a tool to aid decision-making; (1.2) diagnosis as guarantee of rights; (1.3) difficulties encountered to establish the diagnosis; (1.4) clinical criteria adopted in Brazil and related ethical–legal aspects; (2.1) specificities of care to the brain dead person and outcomes; and (2.2) nurse’s duties toward the brain dead person. Conclusion: Although the brain death diagnosis is scientifically and legally defined in Brazil and the maintenance of the potential organ donor for transplantation purposes has been addressed during the last years, there are still some doubts about the subject, as its understanding varies according to the personal beliefs, culture, and educational background of individuals, including those who work in this scenario.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1345
Author(s):  
Mahathir Humaidi ◽  
Wei Ping Tien ◽  
Grace Yap ◽  
Choon Rong Chua ◽  
Lee Ching Ng

Dengue diagnosis is largely dependent on clinical symptoms and routinely confirmed with laboratory detection of dengue virus in patient serum samples collected via phlebotomy. This presents a challenge to patients not amenable to venipuncture. Non-invasive methods of dengue diagnosis have the potential to enhance the current dengue detection algorithm. In this study, samples from dengue infected patients were collected between January 2012 until September 2012 and September 2013 until December 2013 in two different setups. Panel A samples (blood, urine, and saliva) were collected daily when the 39 patients were hospitalised and during their follow-up visits while Panel B samples (saliva) were collected from 23 patients during the acute stage of dengue. Using DENV PCR on Panel A, from day 2 to day 4 post fever onset, serum showed the best overall positivity followed by saliva and urine (100%/82.1%/67.9%). From day 5 until day 10 post fever onset, serum and urine had similar positivity (67.4%/61.2%), followed by saliva (51.3%). Beyond day 10 post fever onset, DENV was undetectable in sera, but urine and saliva showed 56.8% and 28.6% positivity, respectively. DENV in urine was detectable up until 32 days post fever. Panel B results showed overall sensitivity of 32.4%/36% (RNA/NS1) for DENV detection in saliva. Our results suggest that the urine-based detection method is useful especially for late dengue detection, where DENV is undetected in sera but still detectable in urine. This provides a potential tool for the physician to pick up new cases in an area where there is ongoing dengue transmission and subsequently prompt for intensified vector control activities.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 473
Author(s):  
Fernando Velásquez-Orozco ◽  
Ariadna Rando-Segura ◽  
Joan Martínez-Camprecios ◽  
Paula Salmeron ◽  
Adrián Najarro-Centeno ◽  
...  

Diagnosis and clinical management of people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) relies on results from a combination of serological and virological tests. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of dried plasma spots (DPS), prepared using the cobas® Plasma Separation Card (PSC), to plasma and serum from venipuncture, for HCV diagnosis. We carried out a prospective study using DPS and paired plasma or serum samples. Serum and DPS samples were analyzed by immunoassay using Elecsys® Anti-HCV II (Roche). Plasma and DPS samples were analyzed using the cobas® HCV viral load and cobas® HCV genotyping tests (Roche). All DPS samples that had high anti-HCV antibody titers in serum were also antibody-positive, as were five of eight samples with moderate titers. Eight samples with low titers in serum were negative with DPS. Among 80 samples with plasma HCV viral loads between 61.5 and 2.2 × 108 IU/mL, 74 were RNA-positive in DPS. The mean viral load difference between plasma and DPS was 2.65 log10 IU/mL. The performance of DPS for detection of serological and virological markers of hepatitis C virus infection was comparable to that of the conventional specimen types. However, the limits of detection were higher for DPS.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s380-s380
Author(s):  
Sree Kalpana Mohankumar ◽  
Vishweshwarayya Hiremath ◽  
Rajashree Koppad

Background: Countries that have good rubella surveillance, report ∼10,000–20,000 rubella cases annually. In India, not many cases of rubella are reported. The Hebballi Agasi ward of Dharwad district in Karnataka state, India, reported rubella cases on the last week of January 2015. Objective: We investigated the outbreak by time, place, person, and clinical symptoms. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study. We defined a case as any resident of Heballi Agasi who had fever and rash, with or without lymphadenopathy, arthralgia, conjunctivitis, coryza, and cough, after December 15, 2014. We collected sociodemographic details and clinical symptoms of patients. We collected 5 serum samples and sent them to the National Measles Laboratory, Bangalore. We tested for measles and rubella antibodies. We drew an epidemic curve and a spot map. We computed mean age of cases, and we calculated attack rates by mean age and gender. We calculated proportions to describe clinical symptoms, and we interviewed stakeholders regarding rubella vaccination. We continued surveillance until March 2015. Results: The population of Heballi Agasi was 1,458. We identified 15 rubella cases (9 girls and 6 boys). The outbreak lasted between December 10, 2014, and February 21, 2015, with a peak on January 16, 2015. The overall attack rate was 1% (15 of 1,458). The mean age of the cases was 6 years (range, 1–23). The attack rate was high (7.7%) among those aged 1–6 years (11 of 143). The attack rate among those aged >6 years was 0.3% (4 of 1,315). In addition to fever and rash, 93% of cases (14 of 15) had coryza, 47% had cough (7 of 15), and 40% had conjunctivitis (6 of 15). Lymphadenopathy was present in only 1 case (1 of 15), and arthralgia was absent among all 15 cases. There was no death among the cases. All 5 sera were positive for rubella and negative for measles. Rubella vaccination was not given for any of the cases because no rubella vaccination is provided in the routine immunization program. Conclusions: There was a rubella outbreak in Heballi Agasi ward. Children aged 1–6 years were most affected. We recommend rubella vaccination in the routine immunization.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asahi Sato ◽  
Toshihiko Masui ◽  
Akitada Yogo ◽  
Takashi Ito ◽  
Keiko Hirakawa ◽  
...  

AbstractAlthough serum markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) have been widely used in screening for pancreatic cancer (PC), their sensitivity and specificity are unsatisfactory. Recently, a novel tool of analyzing serum using the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) of free induction decays (FIDs) obtained by 1H-NMR has been introduced. We for the first time evaluated the utility of this technology as a diagnostic tool for PC. Serum was obtained from PC patients before starting any treatments. Samples taken from individuals with benign diseases or donors for liver transplantation were obtained as controls. Serum samples from both groups underwent 1H-NMR and STFT of FIDs. STFT data were analyzed by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to clarify whether differences were apparent between groups. As a result, PLS-DA score plots indicated that STFT of FIDs enabled effective classification of groups with and without PC. Additionally, in a subgroup of PC, long-term survivors (≥ 2 years) could be discriminated from short-term survivors (< 2 years), regardless of pathologic stage or CEA or CA19-9 levels. In conclusion, STFT of FIDs obtained from 1H-NMR have a potential to be a diagnostic and prognostic tool of PC.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. A42-A42
Author(s):  
Student

[There are] two policy choices: we can abandon attempts to justify use of anencephalic infants as organ donors because there is currently no clinically accepted means to declare brain death in these infants; or we can carry out the research necessary to establish a clinically valid procedure for doing so. A Canadian group has decided to take the second route and experiment on methods to use as organ donors anencephalic newborns who can be validly declared brain-dead on classic criteria. The group has developed a basic protocol that calls for the parents to agree, prior to birth, that: (1) the infant will be resuscitated; (2) periodic testing will be done to determine brain death (removal from the ventilator at six-to-twelve-hour intervals for a ten-minute period to determine ability to breathe spontaneously; (3) organ donation is acceptable; and (4) a definite time limit (to be determined by the parents but not more than fourteen days) after which the infant will be removed from the ventilator and permitted to die. Low-dose morphine is administered to prevent potential suffering on the part of the infant, although whether anencephalic newborns can suffer is unknown.


2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 995
Author(s):  
GirijaP Rath ◽  
Siddharth Chavali ◽  
Deep Sengupta ◽  
SuryaK Dube

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