Impact of Cerebrospinal Fluid Sample Handling on Cytokine Detection Results.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of different treatment methods on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytokine detection. METHODS: CSF samples were collected from 25 patients. The levels of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-2 were measured after CSF was stored at room temperature (25°C) or 4°C for 6, 12, and 24 hrs. The CSF was frozen at -80°C, thawed at room temperature for 1 hr every 8 hrs and then frozen. This process was repeated three times in a row, and then cytokine levels in CSF were detected again. RESULTS: The four cytokines were stable when the CSF was kept at room temperature for 6 hrs. After 12 hrs of storage, the levels of the four cytokines decreased, and the changes in IL-6 and IL-10 levels were statistically significant. After 24 hrs of storage, the levels of the four cytokines were further reduced, and the changes were statistically significant. Cytokines were stable when CSF was stored at 4°C, and only IL-10 exhibited statistically significant changes when stored for 24 hrs. IL-6, IL-10 IFN-γ, and IL-2 were stable in CSF samples after three freeze-thaw cycles. CONCLUSION: The stability of CSF cytokines is poor after storage at room temperature and good after storage at 4°C. Therefore, cytokine detection should be carried out after CSF collection as often as possible. If the detection cannot be done quickly enough, the specimens should be stored in cold storage for no more than 24 hrs.

Topical Application of Methyl Nicotinate Solution Enhances Peripheral Blood Collection.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether local application of methyl nicotinate solution can change the content and proportion of blood cells in peripheral blood samples and to determine whether this treatment is a safe and reliable method for improving peripheral blood collection. METHODS: Routine blood analysis and flow cytometry were used to analyze the contents and proportions of blood cells and T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood samples. Experimental blood specimens were collected from earlobes treated with different concentrations of methyl nicotinate solution, and the control group consisted of blood specimens collected from untreated earlobes. RESULTS: The blood flow in the earlobe was significantly increased after methyl nicotinate solution stimulation, especially when the methyl nicotinate solution concentration was greater than 10-4 mol/L. There were no significant changes in the proportions of white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, or lymphocytes in the peripheral blood obtained from earlobes treated with methyl nicotinate solution. The proportion of T lymphocytes increased in the experimental group, but this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION: Local application of methyl nicotinate solution is a feasible method for improving peripheral blood collection, especially for patients with venous blood collection phobia or an inability to provide venous blood samples.

Changes and significance of plasma fibrinogen gamma-chain concentration in preeclampsia patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the plasma fibrinogen gamma-chain concentration in preeclampsia patients and explore its value in preeclampsia prediction and auxiliary diagnosis. METHODS: Follow-up of pregnant women who regularly attended perinatal care at two hospitals in China was performed, and clinical data and plasma samples were collected at each examination until delivery. The gamma-chain concentration was detected by Western blotting, and Quantity One Software was used for gamma-chain grayscale value measurements. RESULTS: Forty-two patients with preeclampsia and 42 control patients completed the follow-up. In the control group, the gamma-chain concentration at 32 weeks of gestation was higher than that at 20 weeks of gestation, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In the experimental group, the gamma-chain concentration at preeclampsia diagnosis was significantly higher than that at 20 weeks of gestation (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the gamma-chain concentration was higher at 20 weeks of gestation in the experimental group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, at 32 weeks of gestation and at the time of diagnosis, the gamma-chain concentration in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). At 32 weeks of gestation and at the time of diagnosis, the AUCs from ROC curve analysis of plasma fibrinogen gamma-chain concentrations were 0.64 and 0.71, respectively. CONCLUSION: Plasma fibrinogen synthesis and degradation were disrupted in preeclampsia patients before and after diagnosis, and gamma-chain concentration was significantly increased. Plasma fibrinogen gamma chain may be of some value in preeclampsia prediction and auxiliary diagnosis.

[Early diagnostic values of CD64 and CD11b indices of peripheral white blood cells for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in older adults].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the values of CD64 and CD11b indices of peripheral white blood cells in the early diagnosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) in older adults. METHODS: The study enrolled 86 aged AE-COPD patients, 82 stable-COPD patients admitted in the affiliated hospital of Jiujiang University from March 2011 to December 2013, and simultaneously 84 healthy aged volunteers as a control group. All the subjects were examined in white blood cells, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of CD64 and CD11b from peripheral white blood cells within 24 hours after admission. CD64 and CD11b MFI were converted into CD64 and CD11b indices by conversion formula. The significant indicators for the diagnosis of AE-COPD were screened and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn for calculating the area under the curve, critical value, sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Compare with stable-COPD group, the CD11b index decreased and CD64 index increased. There existed statistical difference in CD11b and CD64 indices between the AE-COPD group and the stable-COPD group (P<0.01), but not between the stable-COPD group and the healthy control group (P>0.05). Critical values of CD11b and CD64 indices were respectively less than 0.94 and more than 1.83. Their sensitively and specificity for the diagnosis of AE-COPD were 62.65% and 77.11% for CD11b and 79.52% and 98.80% for CD64. CONCLUSION: Increased CD64 index and decreased CD11b index are the credible laboratory markers in the early diagnosis of AE-COPD, and the dynamic monitoring of them may facilitate the evaluation of therapeutic outcomes of AE-COPD.