Macrophage-2-Binding Protein Glycosylation Isomer (M2BPGi) and AGAP Score as Markers of Noninvasive Test for Liver Fibrosis versus FibroScan in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Liver biopsy as the gold standard for assessing the degree and diagnosis of fibrosis still has significant drawbacks, which make the emergence of a much less invasive diagnostic marker possible. M2BPGi levels and the AGAP score, the two newest serological markers, are known to have good sensitivity for detecting liver fibrosis. This study is aimed at determining the validity of examining M2BPGi levels and AGAP scores on the Fibroscan examination as markers of noninvasive test for liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive study with a retrospective design. This study used secondary data taken from medical records and blood specimen research materials of outpatients at the Hepatology Gastroenterology Polyclinic at a tertiary general hospital in West Java, Indonesia, with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B. Results: There were 109 research subjects included. There were 73 (66.9%) subjects with no- or low-grade fibrosis and 36 (33.1%) with advanced fibrosis. The sensitivity and specificity of the M2BPGi were 88.9% and 61.6% (PPV 55.3%; NPV 91.8%; AUC 0.753), while the AGAP score was 47.2% and 100% (PPV 100%; NPV 79.3%; AUC 0.736). The combined M2BPGi level and the AGAP score showed a sensitivity of 80.9% and a specificity of 100% (PPV 100%; NPV 91.8%; AUC 0.905). Conclusion: The AGAP score and M2BPGi levels together are a better way to measure the degree of liver fibrosis in people with chronic hepatitis B than either M2BPGi or the AGAP score alone.

Diagnostic Performance of Anti-Topoisomerase-I, Anti-Th/To Antibody and Anti-Fibrillarin Using Immunoblot Method in Systemic Sclerosis Related Interstitial Lung Disease Patients.

Purpose: Systemic Sclerosis related Interstitial Lung Disease (SSc-ILD) is the most common clinical manifestation of SSc with a high morbidity and mortality rate. However, the Thorax High-Resolution Computed Tomography (HCRT) as the gold standard diagnostic tool for SSc-ILD is not widely equipped in health-care facilities. Recently, specific autoantibody examination (anti-topoisomerase-1 (ATA), anti-Th/To antibody, and anti-fibrillarin) has been studied and used for SSc-ILD diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of specific autoantibody examination among SSc-ILD. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study reviews data from local dedicated SSc database (Sclerosis Systemic Register System Development Electronic Medical Record) which were collected between March 2019 and August 2021. Population of this study include adult inpatients and outpatients at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, who have been diagnosed with SSc based on ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria, which met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The SSc patients were grouped into SSc-ILD and SSc non-ILD based on HRCT and tested for SSC-ILD specific autoantibody test (ATA, anti-Th/To antibody, and anti-fibrillarin) to obtain the diagnostic performance (sensitivity, specificity, and positive- and negative-predictive value). Results: A total of 74 subject grouped into 47 SSc-ILD and 27 SSc-non ILD patients. ATA validity test results showed 85.1% sensitivity, 19.2% specificity, 65.6% PPV, and 41.7% NPV. Anti-Th/To antibody obtained 27.7% sensitivity, 88.9% specificity, 81.3% PPV, and 41.4% NPV. The anti-fibrillarin validity test result showed a 12.8% sensitivity, 96.3% specificity, 85.7% PPV, and 38.8% NPV. The combination of the three parameters had 95.7% sensitivity, 18.5% specificity, 67.1% PPV, and 71.4% NPV. Conclusion: The combination of the SSc-ILD specific autoantibody test and HCRT is expected to detect all affected patients. Based on these results, SSc-ILD autoantibody-specific test can be used as an alternative examination for screening and diagnosis in health-care facilities that are not equipped with HRCT.

Screening and diagnosis of HIV-infection in Indonesia: one, two or three tests?

AIM: to examine among high-risk populations or patients with signs or symptoms suggesting HIV-infection, two tests or even one single test might be sufficiently accurate for diagnosis of HIV in a hospital setting in Indonesia. METHODS: we retrospectively examined the rate of false-positive results of initial HIV-tests for all subjects tested in the referral hospital for HIV in West-Java, Indonesia, between 2006 and 2008. We also calculated the positive and negative predictive value of single test results and dual-testing, based on sensitivity and specificity of commonly used methods and prevalence data from Indonesia. RESULTS: among 3121 subjects, 803 were tested positive (25.7%). The initial rapid HIV-tests did not show a single false positive result, and no discrepancy was found between the second and third supplemental tests. Based on their high accuracy, most rapid tests carry a low risk of false-positive results among risk groups. Dual testing algorithms almost eliminate the risk of false-positive HIV-results, and are probably as accurate as three tests, even in low prevalence settings. CONCLUSION: based on expected prevalence rates and the accuracy of methods used in Indonesia, one or two tests are usually accurate for HIV-diagnosis, especially for high risk populations. The possible implications and optimal conditions for more simple testing algorithms warrant further investigation.

Comparison of pro B-natriuretic peptide in hypertensive patients with and without diastolic dysfunction.

AIM: to evaluate whether pro BNP can be used for detection of diastolic dysfunction. METHODS: thirty nine hypertensive patients with normal systolic function, consecutively referred for echocardiography examination between October and December 2004 were recruited in the study. Diastolic dysfunction was diagnosed when echocardiographic mitral flow pattern demonstrated impaired relaxation, pseudonormalization or restrictive like patterns. NT-pro BNP levels were assessed using electro chemiluminescence Immunoassay (ECLIA) method. Unpaired t test was used to analyze the results. RESULTS: twelve out of thirty nine subjects had normal diastolic function. All base line characteristics, except for uric acid, were equally distributed between normal and abnormal diastolic function group. NT-pro BNP levels were nearly significantly higher in the diastolic dysfunction group (P=0.053). CONCLUSION: NT-pro BNP levels trends to be higher in hypertensive subjects with diastolic dysfunction.