Serum globulin predicts all-cause mortality for life insurance applicants.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the relative mortality in apparently healthy adults with various levels of serum globulin. METHOD: By use of the Social Security Death Master File, mortality in 2010 was determined for 7.7 million life insurance applicants age 20 to 89 providing blood samples with valid globulin results between 1992 and 2006. Relative mortality by Cox regression for bands of globulin values was determined by age-sex group, with age split into 20 to 59 and 60 to 89, with each grouping also including age as a covariate. Further analysis was conducted by excluding applicants with elevations of other test values associated with increased globulin levels and mortality risk. RESULTS: After accounting for the mortality impact of frequently associated laboratory test abnormalities including BMI, alkaline phosphatase and albumin, relative mortality was found to increase gradually for globulin values > 3.2 g/dL. Values > 4.0 were associated with a mortality risk that was approximately doubled. There is also a small increased risk for globulin values < 1.9 g/dL. CONCLUSION: The highest 20% of globulin levels were associated with steadily increasing mortality in life insurance applicants. In many cases, other laboratory findings were not informative of the risk.

Safety assessment of methanol extract of red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus): acute and subchronic toxicity studies.

Recently, the fruits of Hylocereus polyrhizus, known as red dragon fruit, have received much attention from growers worldwide. However, there is little toxicological information regarding the safety of repeated exposure to these fruits. The present study evaluated the potential toxicity of a methanol extract of H. polyrhizus fruit after acute and subchronic administration in rats. In the acute toxicity study, single doses of fruit extract (1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg) were administered to rats by oral gavage, and the rats were then monitored for 14 days. In the subchronic toxicity study, the fruit extract was administered orally to rats at doses of 1250, 2500 and 5000 mg/kg/day for 28 days. There was no mortality or signs of acute or subchronic toxicity. There was no significant difference in body weight, relative organ weight or hematological parameters in the subchronic toxicity study. Biochemical analysis showed some significant changes, including creatinine, globulin, total protein and urea levels. No abnormality of internal organs was observed between treatment and control groups. The lethal oral dose of the fruit extract is more than 5000 mg/kg and the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of the extract for both male and female rats is considered to be 5000 mg/kg per day for 28 days.

[Monoclonal immunoglobulin: national external quality assessment and diagnostic reasoning]. / Immunoglobuline monoclonale: contrôle national de qualité et démarche diagnostique.

In 2003, for the scheme of the French national external quality assessment, Afssaps sent to medical laboratories a sample for which two analyses could be carried out: the electrophoresis of proteins and the characterization for monoclonal immunoglobulin. The purpose of this new approach was to make it possible to the laboratories to transpose their usual diagnostic reasoning. This survey recalled to the biologists that it is necessary to check the sensitivity of the test of electrophoresis of proteins used in first intention and to use advisedly the anti-serums anti-free chains. Moreover this operation reinforced the educational aspect of the external quality assessment, pointing out the importance to ensure the coherence of the results of these two analyses carried out with a same diagnostic aim.

Acute phase proteins assessment for an early selection of treatments in growing calves suffering from bronchopneumonia under field conditions.

Blood samples were taken from calves with respiratory disease the first day of examination for determination of the serum concentration of haptoglobin, fibrinogen, alpha-2- and gamma-globulins, and albumin. A clinical examination was performed daily for the duration of the disease. The animals were retrospectively classified in two categories: those animals requiring no treatment or antibiotics alone (group A), and antibiotics associated to anti-inflammatory drugs (group B). The serum proteins were tested in order to check whether they were able to distinguish, on the first day of clinical examination, between calves requiring anti-inflammatory treatment (group B) or not (group A). About 80% of calves were properly classified in both groups by the combined use of the two serum proteins haptoglobin and fibrinogen: these two proteins, and especially haptoglobin, were useful for the identification of calves requiring an anti-inflammatory treatment.

Scintigraphic evaluation of four dogs with protein-losing enteropathy using 111indium-labeled transferrin.

The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical utility of 111In-labeled transferrin (111In-TF) scintigraphy for evaluating dogs suspected of having protein-losing enteropathies. Four dogs were injected intravenously with autologous 111In-TF after 30 min incubation (at 37 degrees C) of 18.5 MBq (0.5 mCi) 111InCl3 with one ml of autologous plasma. Serial right lateral, left lateral and dorsal images were obtained 2, 4, and 24 hours post 111In-TF administration. Images were subjectively evaluated for the presence or absence of 111In-TF within the gastrointestinal tract. The results of total protein, albumin and globulin levels and results from gastrointestinal biopsies were recorded. In one dog, a follow-up scintigraphic study was done six months after initial evaluation and initiation of treatment for plasmocytic-lymphocytic enteritis. Gastrointestinal activity was noted by two hours in two dogs, while all four dogs had gastrointestinal activity on the 24 hour images. The mean (+/-std dev) plasma protein, albumin and globulin levels were 3.5 (+/-0.9), 1.7 (+/-1) and 1.8 (+/-0.3) respectively at the time of initial presentation. In the one dog that was evaluated after therapy, faint visualization of radioactivity within the colon was noted on the 24 hour image. Based on this study, 111In-TF appears to be a viable scintigraphic method for evaluating dogs with suspected protein-losing enteropathies. Potential limitations of this radiopharmaceutical include cost and prolonged isolation of the animal prior to release to the client due to the long physical half-life (T1/2 = 2.82 days).

An assessment under routine conditions of an immunoelectrophoretic assay for thyroxine-binding globulin.

The correct clinical interpretation of serum total thyroxine requires a knowledge of the thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) concentration. An immunoelectrophoretic method for TBG assay has been assessed under routine conditions for precision, sensitivity and recovery. TBG has been compared with T3 Resin Uptake for euthyroid subjects, and patients with myxoedema and thyrotoxicosis. The relationship between TBG and age has also been studied. The method proved to be reliable, sensitive and a technically simple method for the routine determination of TBG and an excellent replacement for the indirect T3 Resin Uptake Test.