Machine learning to optimize cerebrospinal fluid dilution for analysis of MRZH reaction.

OBJECTIVES: To create a supervised machine learning algorithm aimed at predicting an optimal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dilution when determining virus specific antibody indices to reduce the need for repeated tests. METHODS: The CatBoost model was trained, optimized, and tested on a dataset with five input variables: albumin quotient, immunoglobulin G (IgG) in CSF, IgG quotient (QIgG), intrathecal synthesis (ITS) and limes quotient (LIM IgG). Albumin and IgG concentrations in CSF and serum were performed by immunonephelometry on Atellica NEPH 630 (Siemens Healthineers, Erlangen, Germany) and ITS and LIM IgG were calculated according to Reiber. Concentrations of IgG antibodies to measles, rubella, varicella zoster and herpes simplex 1/2 viruses were analysed in CSF and serum by ELISA (Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany). Optimal CSF dilution was defined for each virus and used as a classification variable while the standard operating procedure was set to start at 2×-dilution of CSF. RESULTS: The dataset included 571 samples with the imbalanced distribution of the optimal CSF dilutions: 2× dilution n=440, 3× dilution n=109, 4× dilution n=22. The optimized CatBoost model achieved an area under the curve (AUC) score of 0.971, and a test accuracy of 0.900. The model falsely classified 14 (9.9 %) samples of the testing set but reduced the need for repeated testing compared to the standard protocol by 42 %. The output of the CatBoost model is mostly dependant on the QIgG, ITS and CSF IgG variables. CONCLUSIONS: An accurate algorithm was achieved for predicting the optimal CSF dilution, which reduces the number of test repeats.

Erythrocyte Glutathione S-Transferase Activity as a Sensitive Marker of Kidney Function Impairment in Children with IgA Vasculitis.

IgA vasculitis (IgAV) is the most common childhood vasculitis. The main cause of morbidity and mortality in children with IgAV is nephritis (IgAVN), but the risk of its development, severity, and chronicity remain unclear. Erythrocyte glutathione S-transferase (e-GST) activity has been previously detected as a sensitive marker of kidney function impairment in several diseases. We spectrophotometrically assessed and correlated e-GST activity between 55 IgAV patients without nephritis (IgAVwN), 42 IgAVN patients, and 52 healthy controls. At disease onset, e-GST activity was significantly higher in IgAVN patients (median (interquartile range)) (5.7 U/gHb (4.4-7.5)) than in IgAVwN patients (3.1 U/gHb (2.2-4.2); p < 0.001), and controls (3.1 U/gHb (1.9-4.2); p < 0.001). Therewithal, there were no differences between the IgAVwN patients and controls (p = 0.837). e-GST activity was also significantly higher in the IgAVN patients than in the IgAVwN patients after 3 months (5.0 U/gHb (4.2-6.2) vs. 3.3 U/gHb (2.3-4.1); p < 0.001) and 6 months (4.2 U/gHb (3.2-5.8) vs. 3.3 U/gHb (2.1-4.1); p < 0.001) since the disease onset. Consistent correlations between e-GST activity and serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and proteinuria levels were not detected. In conclusion, increased e-GST activity can serve as a subtle indicator of kidney function impairment in children with IgAV.

Determination of cystatin C reference interval for children in Croatia.

Introduction: Cystatin C is considered an early marker of kidney damage. The aim was to determine the reference interval in children since this information was not available from the test manufacturer. Materials and methods: Included were children aged 0 to 18 years undergoing routine check without history of any renal disease. Cystatin C was measured by the immunoturbidimetric method, and creatinine by the enzymatic method on a Cobas c501 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Manheim, Germany). Reference intervals were determined according to the CLSI C28-A3 guidelines using a robust method and a nonparametric percentile method, depending on the sample size. The Schwartz's formula was applied to estimate glomerular filtration (eGFR) from cystatin C. Results: The cystatin C reference interval for children aged 1-18 years (N = 204, median 8 years) was from 0.61 mg/L (90% CI: 0.53 to 0.64) to 1.08 mg/L (90% CI: 1.07 to 1.14). Differences according to sex were not found. For children aged 0-1 years (N = 29, median 5 months), the reference interval was from 0.60 mg/L (90% CI: 0.48 to 0.72) to 1.49 mg/L (90% CI: 1.36 to 1.61). The sample size was too small to test the difference according to sex. The eGFR was 76 (70-88) mL/min/1.73m2 for males and 83 (74-92) mL/min/1.73m2 for females. Conclusion: The cystatin C reference intervals for Croatian pediatric population according to age were determined. The cystatin C concentrations in children reach adulthood values after the first year. The cystatin C Schwartz's formula is applicable for eGFR calculation in children.

Higher MRI lesion load in multiple sclerosis is related to the N-glycosylation changes of cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulin G.

BACKGROUND: Intrathecal clonal expansion of antibody-producing plasma cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) perpetuates central nervous system injury and is associated with active demyelination. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) effector functions are modulated by linked N-glycan structures. The aim of the study was to detect potential differences in N-glycosylation of IgG in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and total sera proteins between people with MS and those in whom the diagnosis of MS was excluded. Furthermore, we investigated the association with standard laboratory biomarkers of intrathecal inflammation as well as clinical and neuroradiological disease activity. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included patients with suspected demyelinating disease. MS diagnosis was based on the 2017 McDonald criteria and controls were patients with excluded MS diagnosis. N-glycans were compared with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of disease activity and biomarkers of intrathecal inflammation (cell count, CSF-IgG concentration, percentage of intrathecal IgG, oligoclonal bands (OCB), virus-specific antibody index (MRZH reaction)). RESULTS: Differences between groups were observed only in the CSF-IgG N-glycome. In MS, the presence of bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (Padj=2.63E-05) and monogalactosylation (Padj=1.49E-06) were more abundant and associated with positive OCBs. N-glycans monogalactosylated at the α6 arm FA2[6]G1 (r = 0.56) and FA2[6]BG1 (r = 0.45) correlated with percentage of intrathecal IgG, but not total CSF-IgG. This trait was also more abundant in MRZH positive people with MS who had higher MRI lesion load (P = 0.018) but unrelated to active lesions or EDSS. CONCLUSIONS: More abundant monogalactosylation of intrathecally synthesized IgG is the most prominent trait in MS and is associated with higher MRI lesion load.

Simple thrombin-based method for eliminating fibrinogen interference in serum protein electrophoresis of haemodialysed patients.

INTRODUCTION: Serum samples of haemodialysed patients collected through vascular access devices, e.g. central venous catheter (CVC) can contain residual heparin, which can cause incomplete clotting and consequently fibrinogen interference in serum protein electrophoresis (SPE). We hypothesized that this problem may be overcome by addition of thrombin and aimed to find a simple thrombin-based method for fibrinogen interference removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples of 51 haemodialysed patients with CVC were drawn through catheter into Clot Activator Tube (CAT) and Rapid Serum Tube Thrombin (RST) vacutainers (Becton Dickinson, New Jersey, USA) following the routine hospital protocols and analysed with gel-electrophoresis (Sebia, Lisses, France). Samples were redrawn in the CAT tubes and re-analysed after being treated with thrombin using two methods: transferring CAT serum into RST vacutainer and treatment of CAT serum with fibrinogen reagent (Multifibren U, Siemens, Marburg, Germany). RESULTS: Direct blood collection in RST proved to be slightly more efficient than CAT in removing the interfering band in beta fraction (CAT removed 6/51 and RST removed 12/51, P = 0.031). Transferring CAT serum into the RST vacutainer proved to be more efficient for subsequent removal of interfering band from CAT serum than the addition of fibrinogen reagent (39/45 vs. 0/45 samples with efficiently removed interfering band, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Fibrinogen interference caused by incomplete clotting because of residual heparin can be overcome by addition of thrombin. Transferring CAT serum into the RST vacutainer was the most efficient method.