Stress-related temporary hearing loss--evaluation of bio-humoral parameters: forensic and criminological applications.

The body-alarm reaction results from the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which can lead to physio-psychological phenomena such as an exclusion/occlusion of the sense of hearing. One hypothesis to explain this alteration consists in a hydromechanical dysfunction of the internal ear attributable to antidiuretic hormone. In this study, we evaluated the perception of acoustic stimuli administered in stressful conditions in 14 phobic patients and in 20 healthy subjects, in order to assess the influence of stress on perceiving capabilities. We also measured the concentration of salivary cortisol and IL-1ß and neurovegetative parameters to objectivise and quantify the physiological reactions. Our results show a worse perception of the frequencies of the human voice under stress; these findings could have a dual value: in the legal field, concerning criminal liability, and on the operative context, regarding the efficiency of verbal communication among law enforcement officers in situations inducing intense emotional stress.

Analytical evaluation of the Dade Behring Dimension RxL automated N-Terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) method and comparison with the Roche Elecsys 2010.

Methods to quantify B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-propeptide (NT-proBNP) in plasma or serum samples are well established. We assessed the analytical performance of the Dimension RxL NT-proBNP method (Dade-Behring). Evaluation of different sample types was carried out. Controls and heparin plasma pools were used to determine the detection limit, precision, and linearity. Sample stability and the effect of interfering substances on the NT-proBNP concentrations were evaluated. Agreement between Dimension RxL and Elecsys 2010 (Roche Diagnostics) NT-proBNP methods was assessed. The influence of age and sex on NT-proBNP concentrations was evaluated in healthy subjects. Heparin plasma should be the matrix of choice. The detection limit was 2.0 ng/L. The total imprecision was 2.6-3.6% for concentrations from 231 to 9471 ng/L; mean NT-proBNP concentrations of 21 and 15 ng/L were associated with coefficients of variation of 9.9% and 14.7%, respectively. The method was linear up to 32,650 ng/L. There was no effect of temperature, freeze-thaw cycles and interfering substances. A bias was detected when Dimension RxL and Elecsys 2010 NT-proBNP methods were compared. Age and sex were significantly and independently related to NT-proBNP concentrations. The Dimension RxL NT-proBNP method, like the Elecsys 2010, is suitable for routine use in the diagnosis of heart failure.

Proteomic approach to the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome: preliminary results.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac multimarker strategy is recommended by the IFCC, ESC and the ACC for an early risk stratification in non-ST-segment elevation (NSTE) ECG patients with chest pain. A new approach, based on protein biochip array technology, performs simultaneously: cTnI, CK-MB, myoglobin, CAIII, GFBB and FABP using a single chip. METHODS: We evaluated the analytical performance of the Randox-Evidence Investigator -biochip cardiac panel according to IFCC recommendations and NCCLS guidelines; a preliminary clinical evaluation was carried out on chest pain NSTE ECG patients, to evaluate the accuracy of the multimarker approach in an early diagnosis of AMI, related to the final diagnosis (ACC/ESC criteria). RESULTS: Troponin, CK-MB and FABP methods provide reproducible within-run and between-day results (total % CVs from 5.9% to 9.7%), and myoglobin and CAIII methods showed the total % CVs from 16.4% to 25.8%. Our preliminary clinical data suggests that FABP had a better diagnostic performance (sensibility = 100%) than myoglobin (sensibility = 75%) to detect AMI in the first hours after the onset of the chest pain and myoglobin/CAIII ratio (specificity = 92.9%) improved the myoglobin specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac markers have different diagnostic roles and, in this contest, biochip technology could be an interesting approach supporting clinical expectations.