Benzodiazepines increase the likelihood of both infectious and thrombotic complications.

INTRODUCTION: Benzodiazepines (BZDs) modulate peripheral γ-amino-butyric acid type A on macrophages causing immunomodulation. They inhibit proinflammatory cytokines increasing infections. Prior studies have also shown that infections can increase thrombotic complications. We sought to examine this relationship in trauma patients. We hypothesized that the presence of BZDs on admission urine drug screen (UDS) would increase rates of both complications. METHODS: All patients submitted to the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcome Study database from 2003 to 2018 were queried. Those with a positive UDS for BZDs were analyzed. Infectious complications were defined as pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, wound, and soft tissue infection, and thrombotic complications were defined as presence of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. Logistic regressions controlling for demographic and injury covariates assessed the adjusted impact of BZDs on infectious and thrombotic complications. RESULTS: A total of 3,393 patients (2.08%) had infectious complications, and 3,048 (1.87%) had thrombotic complications. Furthermore, 33,260 patients (20.4%) had a positive UDS for BZDs on admission. Univariate analysis showed that those positive for BZDs had higher rates of infectious (3.33% vs. 1.76%, p < 0.001) and thrombotic (2.84% vs. 1.62%, p < 0.001) complications. Multivariate analysis revealed that BZDs significantly increased the odds of infectious and thrombotic complications. Patients who tested positive for BZDs and subsequently developed infection had increased odds (adjusted odds ratio, 1.65; p < 0.001) of developing thrombotic complications. CONCLUSION: Trauma patients with a positive UDS for BZDs had higher odds of both infectious and thrombotic complications. Moreover, odds of thrombotic complications were higher in those with infections. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiological, level III.

High-Throughput Urinary Neopterin-to-Creatinine Ratio Monitoring of Systemic Inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation is a marker of ill health and has prognostic implications in multiple health settings. Urinary neopterin is an excellent candidate as a nonspecific marker of systemic inflammation. Expression as urinary neopterin-to-creatinine ratio (UNCR) normalizes for urinary hydration status. Major attractions include (a) urine vs blood sampling, (b) integration of inflammation over a longer period compared with serum sampling, and (c) high stability of neopterin and creatinine. METHODS: A high-throughput ultraperformance LC-MS method was developed to measure neopterin and creatinine together from the same urine sample. The assay was applied in several clinical scenarios: healthy controls, symptomatic infections, and multiple sclerosis. Area under the curve was compared between weekly and monthly sampling scenarios. Analysis of a single pooled sample was compared with averaging results from analysis of individual samples. RESULTS: The assay has excellent intraassay and interassay precision, linearity of dilution, and spike and recovery. Higher UNCR was demonstrated in female vs male individuals, older age, inflammatory disease (multiple sclerosis), and symptomatic infections. In healthy controls, fluctuations in inflammatory state also occurred in the absence of symptomatic infection or other inflammatory triggers. Analysis of a single pooled sample, made up from weekly urine samples, integrates inflammatory activity over time. CONCLUSIONS: UNCR is a useful biomarker of systemic inflammation. The method presented offers simplicity, speed, robustness, reproducibility, efficiency, and proven utility in clinical scenarios. UNCR fluctuations underline the importance of longitudinal monitoring, vs a single time point, to capture a more representative estimate of an individual's inflammatory state over time.

The role of preemptive antimicrobial therapy in kidney recipients of urine-only positive donor cultures.

BACKGROUND: The use of preemptive antimicrobial therapy for recipients of donors with microbial growth on pre-transplant urine cultures remains poorly studied. METHODS: Single-center retrospective study of kidney transplant recipients of allografts from deceased donors with urine-only (ie, in absence of donor bacteremia) positive cultures (September 2011 to August 2015). Transplant outcomes, including donor-derived infections (DDI) within the first three months post transplant, were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 970 kidney transplants performed during the study period, urine cultures were obtained from all donors, and of these, 27 (2.8%) yielded growth. Twenty-nine (73%) recipients were treated preemptively after transplantation. All of the recipients of donors with urine cultures positive for Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, or Candida spp. received therapy whereas only one of seven recipients with urine cultures positive for Escherichia coli was treated (P < .0001). All E coli isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), which was given to all patients for Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis. Infection within 3 months was evident in 16 (40%) patients: 10 out of 29 (35%) in the preemptive group and 6 out of 11 (55%) in the not-treatment group (P = .29). Evidence of DDI occurred in two recipients, one in each group. There were no differences in one-year graft and patient survival between groups. CONCLUSION: Preemptive antibiotic therapy did not seem to impact transmission events and transplant outcomes in this small cohort. Low transmission rates might have been influenced by administration of PCP prophylaxis and universal preemptive therapy for positive donor urine cultures with virulent organisms. Larger studies are needed.

Urinary PGE2 metabolite levels in hospitalised infants with infections compared to age-matched controls.

AIM: To determine the urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite in healthy infants and in hospitalised infants with upper and lower respiratory tract as well as gastrointestinal infections. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study to determine baseline concentrations of urinary tetranor-prostaglandin E2 metabolite was conducted in 81 healthy infants aged one week to one year and in 142 hospitalised infants with infections. Prostaglandin metabolite levels were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In healthy infants, urinary prostaglandin E2 metabolite levels decreased with age and did not differ between girls and boys. Infections of the lower respiratory (n = 78) and gastrointestinal tract (n = 12) correlated with increased levels of the prostaglandin E2 metabolite. In contrast, infants hospitalised with upper respiratory tract infections (n = 23) exhibited similar levels as healthy, age-matched controls. Lower prostaglandin E2 levels were found after treatment with acetaminophen in hospitalised children. Prostaglandin E2 metabolite levels did not correlate with length of hospitalisation or need for respiratory support. CONCLUSION: This study first provides normal levels of urinary prostaglandin E2 metabolite in infants and secondly demonstrates elevated levels in hospitalised children with lower respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections.

Urinary free light chains may help to identify infection in patients with elevated systemic inflammation due to rheumatic disease.

The risk of infection in patients with rheumatic diseases is elevated, but a clear marker to differentiate the cause of the systemic inflammation is missing. We assessed the ability urinary immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) to indicate the presence of infection in patients with rheumatic disease. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with rheumatic disease attending the Georg-August University Hospital in Goettingen, Germany, from January 2011 to December 2013. Subjects were included if they had urine levels of κ and λ FLCs available. A reference group of patients without autoimmune disease, but with documented infection, was constructed. A total of 1500 patients had their urinary FLCs quantified during the study period. Of the 382 patients with rheumatic disease, 172 (45%) displayed no systemic inflammation, 162 (42%) had inflammation due to the underlying disease activity, and 48 (13%) had inflammation due to a confirmed infection. Urinary FLC concentrations were much higher in patients with rheumatic diseases and infection (κ 68.8 ± 81.8 mg/L, λ 31.4 ± 53.5 mg/L) compared to those with inflammation due to rheumatic disease activity (κ 22.7 ± 26.3 mg/L, λ 8.1 ± 9.1 mg/L, κ p < 0.001, λ p = 0.004). Urinary κ FLCs demonstrated good ability to predict infection, with a sensitivity of 63% and specificity of 84%. Urinary λ FLCs gave similar values, with a sensitivity of 65% and specificity of 81%. FLCs may be useful for distinguishing inflammation due to rheumatic disease activity from that due to the additional presence of infection. The ability to quantify these proteins in urine provides a simple alternative to the use of blood.

Tecnologia educacional para a prevenção da infecção urinária na gravidez: estudo descritivo / Educational technology for the prevention of urinary tract infections during pregnancy: a descriptive study

Problema: a infecção do trato urinário é uma das principais afecções ocorridas no período gravídico, sendo causadora de importantes complicações materno-fetais que podem levar à morte. Objetivos: aplicar uma cartilha educativa sobre a prevenção da infecção urinária em um grupo de gestantes e analisar os problemas de enfermagem relacionados à ocorrência desse agravo. Método: estudo descritivo, qualitativo, realizado com 15 gestantes em uma unidade de Saúde da Família de Petrópolis/RJ, em abril de 2015. Os dados foram coletados por entrevistas ­ individual e grupal ­ e analisados por meio da técnica de triangulação dos dados. Resultado: a aplicação da cartilha evidenciou problemas de enfermagem relacionados à higiene, à alimentação, à ingestão hídrica, à eliminação intestinal e urinária, e ao coito. Conclusão: o uso da tecnologia impressa é uma importante ferramenta de discussão e aprendizado no processo de educação em saúde, e qualifica a prática assistencial do enfermeiro. (AU)

Problem: urinary tract infections are one of the main conditions that occur in the pregnancy period, causing important maternal-fetal complications that can lead to death. Aims: to implement an educational booklet on the prevention of urinary tract infections in a group of pregnant women and analyze the nursing problems related to the occurrence of this disease. Method: a descriptive, qualitative study with fifteen pregnant women at a Family Health Unit in Petrópolis, RJ, Brazil in April, 2015. Data was collected through interviews - individual and group - and was analyzed using the data triangulation technique. Results: the application of the booklet revealed nursing problems related to hygiene, food, water intake, intestinal and urinary elimination and coitus. Conclusion: the use of printed technology is an important tool for discussion and learning in the health education process, and it can be used to qualify the nurses' care practice. (AU)

Elevated circulating ghrelin, but not peptide YY(3-36) levels, in term neonates with infection.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and treatment of neonatal infection is important to prevent morbidity and mortality. The gastrointestinal tract-derived hormones ghrelin and peptide YY (PYY), which participate in the regulation of food intake and energy balance, may also play roles in the inflammatory response. Their involvement in neonatal infection is not known. METHODS: Plasma ghrelin and PYY(3-36) levels were serially measured (by ELISA) on Days 0, 1, 2, 3 and 7 following admission in 36-term neonates with febrile infection (22 of them were septic) and once in 20 healthy term neonates of similar postnatal age and gender distribution, as controls. Associations of ghrelin and PYY(3-36) levels with clinical and laboratory parameters, including anthropometrics, fever, leukocyte and platelet counts, serum glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A levels, were assessed. RESULTS: Plasma ghrelin levels were significantly higher in infected neonates than in controls at each study day (p=0.009), whereas PYY(3-36) levels did not differ significantly between patients and controls at any day. In infected neonates, ghrelin levels on admission correlated negatively with serum glucose levels (p=0.003), whereas fever change during the course of infection was significantly associated with change of ghrelin levels (p=0.01). Receiver operating characteristic analysis of ghrelin levels resulted in significant areas under the curve (AUC) for detecting infected neonates on admission (AUC=0.728, p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Circulating ghrelin, but not PYY(3-36), levels are increased in neonates with infection, possibly reflecting and/or participating in the inflammatory process.

[Applications of MALDI-TOF technology in clinical microbiology]. / Applications de la technologie MALDI-TOF en microbiologie clinique.

Until now, the identification of micro-organisms has been based on the cultural and biochemical characteristics of bacterial and fungal species. Recently, Mass Spectrometry type Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF MS) was developed in clinical microbiology laboratories. This new technology allows identification of micro-organisms directly from colonies of bacteria and fungi within few minutes. In addition, it can be used to identify germs directly from positive blood culture bottles or directly from urine samples. Other ways are being explored to expand the use of MALDI-TOF in clinical microbiology laboratories. Indeed, some studies propose to detect bacterial antibiotic resistance while others compare strains within species for faster strain typing. The main objective of this review is to update data from the recent literature for different applications of MALDI-TOF technique in microbiological diagnostic routine.

Impact of sepsis on the urinary level of interleukin-18 and cystatin C in critically ill neonates.

BACKGROUND: Urinary interleukin-18 (uIL-18) and cystatin C (uCysC) are biomarkers of acute kidney injury (AKI). We hypothesized that in non-AKI neonates, the level of uIL-18 and uCysC would be higher in those with sepsis compared to those without sepsis. The aims of this study were to determine the association between urinary biomarkers and sepsis in non-AKI critically ill neonates, and to evaluate whether uIL-18 and uCysC could serve as predictors of sepsis in this population. METHODS: The study included 111 non-AKI critically ill neonates with acute clinical deterioration suggestive of sepsis: 26 with infection, 57 without infection, and 28 were assigned to the unclassified group. Urinary samples were collected and a full sepsis screen was performed at the time of enrollment. RESULTS: The level of uIL-18, but not uCysC, was significantly elevated in non-AKI septic neonates. Urinary IL-18 was an independent factor associated with sepsis assessed by multivariate analysis, had odds ratio of 1.73 (95 % CI 1.15 to 2.58, p = 0.008), and achieved the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.74 for predicting the presence of sepsis in non-AKI critically ill neonates. CONCLUSIONS: Sepsis has an impact on the level of uIL-18, but not on the uCysC in non-AKI neonates, suggesting systemic infection might influence the diagnostic value of uIL-18 to detect AKI in the general population.

Distribuição clonal de escherichia coli isoladas em infecções do trato urinário adquiridas na comunidade no período de 2001 a 2009 na cidade de Salvador-Bahia / Clonal distribution of Escherichia coli isolated from urinary tract infections acquired in the community during the period 2001-2009 in the city of Salvador, Bahia

Estimar a prevalência de resistência a antimicrobianos em isolados de Escheríchía colí e avaliar o desempenho dos testes laboratoriais rápidos para diagnóstico das infecções não complicadas do trato urinário adquiridas na comunidade. Este trabalho foi dividido em dois estudos, no primeiro para avaliar o perfil de susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos, foi avaliada uma amostra consecutiva de 411 isolados de E. colí procedentes de pacientes com Infecção do Trato Urinário (ITU) atendidos numa unidade de emergência de hospital privado no período de julho de 2008 a julho 2009. A identificação e os testes de susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos utilizou o sistema automatizado WalkAway - Microscan@ (Siemens - Califórnia). No segundo estudo, para avaliar o desempenho dos testes rápidos para diagnóstico de ITU, além dos casos de ITU do primeiro estudo, foram incluídos 411 pacientes sem ITU atendidos no mesmo local e período. Os testes rápidos estudados, microscopia direta (Gram), teste de piúria e teste do nitrito, foram realizados conforme respectivos protocolos, realizando os controle de qualidade de todas as etapas. A amostra de casos de ITU era formada por 342 (83%) adultos e 69 (17%) crianças. A distribuição por sexo entre adultos e crianças, mostrou predominância dos episódios no sexo feminino (85%). Dos 22 antibióticos testados, a maior prevalência de resistência foi encontrada para ampicilina sulbactam (41%), ampicilina (49%), cefalotina (33%) e sulfametoxazol-trimetoprim (36%), além disso, observamos uma inusitada taxa de resistência à clprofloxacma (9%). Quarenta e dois por cento dos isolados de E. colí apresentaram resistência a três ou mais drogas. Houve um aumento na taxa de resistência à cefalotina, em comparação com estudo realizado na mesma cidade em 2001-2002. Não foram observadas variações significativas nas taxas de resistência para a maioria dos demais antimicrobianos. Dentre os testes rápidos avaliados a detecção de piúria apresentou a maior sensibilidade (95%; IC95%: 92-97%) e a menor especificidade (66%; IC95%: 61-70%). O teste de nitrito apresentou a maior especificidade (99%; IC95%: 98-100%) e a menor sensibilidade (45%; IC95%: 40-50%). No geral, o teste com maior acurácia foi a microscopia direta (84%; IC95%: 79-88%), seguido da detecção de piúria (80%; IC95%: 77-83%). O teste de nitrito teve o maior valor preditivo positivo (VPP) e o teste de piúria o maior valor preditivo negativo (VPN). Os testes rápidos apresentaram concordância modesta e a combinação de resultados positivos com maior VPP foi obtida com os testes de nitrito e microscopia direta (Gram). Enquanto a combinação de microscopia direta (Gram) e piúria negativos tiveram o maior VPN. Os isolados de E. colí apresentaram elevadas taxas de resistência a: ampicilina, ampicilina-sulbactam, sulfametoxazol-trimetoprim e cefalotina, limitando a indicação desses antibióticos para tratamento empírico das ITUs adquiridas na comunidade. Apesar da variação nos valores de sensibilidade e especificidade dos testes rápidos avaliados, o teste de nitrito positivo e o teste de piúria negativo apresentaram a melhor taxa de acerto para confirmar ou afastar o diagnóstico de ITU, respectivamente. Embora, os testes rápidos possam ser considerados úteis no diagnóstico das ITU-AC, a urocultura ainda é o teste laboratorial definitivo para diagnóstico de ITU.

Introduction: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is considered the second most common infection in humans. It is estimated that there are about 150 million cases of UTIs per year worldwide. Increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens challenges UTI treatments. Objective: To determine the distribution of clonal strains of E. coli isolated from patients with community-acquired UTI according to the profile of antimicrobial susceptibility; and to evaluate the role of clonal groups in the spread and persistence of resistance in these infections. Methods: Eight hundred seventy four strains of E. coli were isolated from patients with UTI, coming from outpatient clinics in three hospitals in the city of Salvador - Bahia, from 2001 to 2009. The susceptibility profile was determined by broth microdilution method (Siemens - Microscan ®). The samples selected for genotyping (n = 275) were identified for clonal groups by comparing the patterns of PFGE, using the criteria of Tenover (1995). All study stages were quality control by strain E. coli ATCC 25922. Results: Among the antibiotics tested, the highest prevalence of resistance was for ampicillin (AMP) (49%) followed by trimethoprim - sulfamethoxazole (SXT) (36-42%) and for cephalothin (12-33%). The rate of resistance to ciprofloxacin (CIP) ranged between 9-14 %. In the Clonal Analysis distribution, performed according to antimicrobial resistance phenotypes, we found a higher prevalence of a clonal group CgA (63%) among multidrug resistant strains. This result differs from samples with some degree of resistance or multi-sensitive in which we observed clonal diversity. Conclusion: The high prevalence of resistance to SXT, AMP, and cephalothin contraindicate the use of these antibiotics in the empirical treatment of community-acquired UTI. The relatively high rate of resistance to CIP, raises attention to the increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance in this community and potentially complicate and encumber the treatment of these infections. We observe the emergence of a clonal group (CgA) in the final period of the study (2008-2009) associated with multidrug resistant strains. This finding suggests that the expansion of particular clones may have an important role in the spread of bacterial resistance in community-acquired UTI.

Candiduria nosocomial: etiología y prevalencia de sus agentes causales en el Hospital Paroissien / Nosocomial candiduria: Etiology and prevalence of its causal agents in Paroissien Hospital

Se evaluó retrospectivamente la etiología y evolución de la frecuencia de los agentes causales de candiduria, en 300 episodios ocurridos en pacientes internados en el Hospital Paroissien, entre el 21 de enero de 2000 y el 30 de diciembre de 2009. Fueron diagnosticados 33 (11,0%) episodios en 2000, 26 (8,7%) en 2001, 34 (11,3%) en 2002, 20 (6,7%) en 2003, 30 (10,0%) en 2004, 25 (8,3%) en 2005, 47 (15,7%) en 2006, 27 (9,0%) en 2007, 33 (11,0%) en 2008 y 25 (8,3%) en 2009. Candida tropicalis, C. albicans, C. glabrata y C. parapsilosis prevalecieron en orden descendente de frecuencia y C. guillermondii, C. krusei y C. lusitaniae se aislaron excepcionalmente. C. tropicalis prevaleció entre 2000-2002, 2004-2006 y en 2008, seguida por C. albicans, que fue la más prevalente en 2003, 2007 y 2009. C. glabrata ocupó el segundo lugar en 2000, 2004 y 2006 y el tercero en los demás años, salvo en 2001, 2008 y 2009, cuando fue desplazada por C. parapsilosis, que en 2009 ocupó el primer lugar junto con C. albicans. Los resultados obtenidos confirman el predominio de las especies de Candida no- albicans como agentes causales de candiduria en la población estudiada, particularmente C. tropicalis, desde 2003, que podría mantenerse actualmente. La ausencia de datos previos impidió discernir si los patrones hallados son recientes o se mantuvieron a través del tiempo.

The present study carried out a retrospective evaluation of the etiology and evolution of the frequency of the causal agents of 300 candiduria events diagnosed in patients assisted at the Paroissien Hospital from 2 January 2000 to 30 December 2009. A total of 33 (11.0%) episodes were dioagnosed in 2000, 26 (8.7%) in 2001, 34 (11.3%) in 2002, 20 (6.7%) in 2003, 30 (10.0%) in 2004, 25 (8.3%) in 2005, 47 (15.7%) in 2006, 27 (9.0%) in 2007, 33 (11.0%) in 2008 and 25 ( 8.3%) in 2009. C. tropicalis, C. albicans, C. glabrata y C. parapsilosis were, in descendent order, the most frequent species involved, with C. guillermondii, C. krusei and C. lusitaniae only exceptionally isolated. C. tropicalis was the most prevalent between 2000-2002, 2004-2006 and in 2008, followed by C. albicans, which was the most prevalent in 2003, 2007 and 2009. C. glabrata was the second species in 2000, 2004 y 2006 and the third in the remaining years studied, except for 2001, 2008 and 2009 when it was displaced by C. Parapsilosis, which held the first place in 2009, along with C. albicans. The results obtained confirm the predominance of the Candida no - albicans species as etiological agents of candiduria in the popularion under study, particularly C. tropicalis, from 2003 onwards, possibly until nowadays. However, due to the lack of previous studies on the subject, it was impossible to determine if the patterns observed are only recent or if they have remained unaltered for longer periods of time.

A radiation-induced adaptive response prolongs the survival of prion-infected mice.

Previously, it has been demonstrated that an "adaptive response" that includes the prevention, repair, and removal of oxidative damage can be evoked by radiation at dose rates substantially lower than those at which risks have been observed. The exact pathogenic mechanism of prion diseases is unknown, but circumstantial evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a central role. Exposure of prion-infected mice to four 500 mGy/fraction doses of (60)Co γ-radiation administered every other day at a low dose rate (0.5 mGy/min) starting at 2 days before infection, 7 days postinfection (dpi), or 50 dpi significantly prolonged the survival of infected mice. The 500-mGy radiation treatments started at 50 dpi also significantly prolonged the symptom-free period of the disease and caused a significant delay in the rise of the 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine concentration observed in the urine of nonirradiated infected mice at 98 dpi. The duration of the reduction in oxidative stress achieved by the radiation treatments was similar in length to the prolonged survival of the irradiated mice. This suggests that the adaptive response induced by low-dose whole-body radiation treatments prolongs the survival of prion-infected mice by reducing oxidative stress.

An insight into the relationships between hepcidin, anemia, infections and inflammatory cytokines in pediatric refugees: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Hepcidin, a key regulator of iron homeostasis, is increased in response to inflammation and some infections, but the in vivo role of hepcidin, particularly in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is unclear. We investigated the relationships between hepcidin, cytokines and iron status in a pediatric population with a high prevalence of both anemia and co-morbid infections. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: African refugee children <16 years were consecutively recruited at the initial post-resettlement health check with 181 children meeting inclusion criteria. Data on hematological parameters, cytokine levels and co-morbid infections (Helicobacter pylori, helminth and malaria) were obtained and urinary hepcidin assays performed. The primary outcome measure was urinary hepcidin levels in children with and without iron deficiency (ID) and/or ID anaemia (IDA). The secondary outcome measures included were the relationship between co-morbid infections and (i) ID and IDA, (ii) urinary hepcidin levels and (iii) cytokine levels. IDA was present in 25/181 (13.8%). Children with IDA had significantly lower hepcidin levels (IDA median hepcidin 0.14 nmol/mmol Cr (interquartile range 0.05-0.061) versus non-IDA 2.96 nmol/mmol Cr, (IQR 0.95-6.72), p<0.001). Hemoglobin, log-ferritin, iron, mean cell volume (MCV) and transferrin saturation were positively associated with log-hepcidin levels (log-ferritin beta coefficient (beta): 1.30, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.57) and transferrin was inversely associated (beta: -0.12, 95% CI -0.15 to -0.08). Cytokine levels (including IL-6) and co-morbid infections were not associated with IDA or hepcidin levels. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the largest pediatric study of the in vivo associations between hepcidin, iron status and cytokines. Gastro-intestinal infections (H. pylori and helminths) did not elevate urinary hepcidin or IL-6 levels in refugee children, nor were they associated with IDA. Longitudinal and mechanistic studies of IDA will further elucidate the role of hepcidin in paediatric iron regulation.

Leucocituria y tinción de Gram para el diagnostico de infección urinaria / Gram stain and pyuria for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection

Disponer de métodos microscópicos rápidos para el diagnóstico y demostrar la validez y efectividad de estas pruebas para certificar una infección urinaria.