The value of procalcitonin, a novel inflammatory marker, in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction and evaluation of acute coronary syndrome patients.

BACKGROUND: Procalcitonin is a calcitonin precursor that is used as an inflammatory biomarker in the plasma of patients with sepsis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of emergency department (ED) point-of-care blood procalcitonin testing in identifying myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with chest pain of presumed ischemic origin. METHODS: Patients over 18 years of age who presented to the ED with MI-typical chest pain of presumed ischemic origin were included in the study. An initial point-of-care blood sample was drawn from each study patient for testing procalcitonin, troponin T, myoglobin, and creatine kinase-MB levels. A second sample was taken 4h after admission for a procalcitonin test. Finally, a 6-h post-admission blood sample was taken to measure troponin T, myoglobin, and creatine kinase-MB levels in each study patient who had an initial negative cardiac marker test. RESULTS: A total of 1008 patients with chest pain were admitted to the ED during the study period, and a total of 141 patients met study criteria and were entered into the study. ED point-of-care blood procalcitonin testing to identify myocardial infarction in patients with chest pain of presumed ischemic origin had a sensitivity of 38.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 28.8-47.3%) and a specificity of 77.8% (95% CI 70.0-84.4%), a positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 1.725 and a negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of 0.792. The 4th hour diagnostic values (sensitivity, specificity, LR+ and LR-) of procalcitonin semi-quantitative (PCT-Q) testing were 90% (95% CI 80.9-95.7%), 59.3% (95% CI 52.5-63.5%), 2.2, and 0.16, respectively. CONCLUSION: ED point-of-care testing for procalcitonin had poor diagnostic accuracy for predicting myocardial infarction.

Effect of varicocele on testicular artery blood flow in men--color Doppler investigation.

OBJECTIVE: Varicocele can be defined as an abnormal tortuosity and dilatation of the veins of the pampiniform plexus. Contradictory results have been obtained from experimental animal models and a few clinical human studies on testicular arterial blood flow in varicocele. The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in testicular arterial blood flow parameters in patients with varicocele. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 62 patients with a clinical diagnosis of left varicocele and a scrotal vein with a diameter of > or = 3 mm on color Doppler ultrasonography were included in the study. A total of 44 fertile normal male volunteers served as controls. RESULTS: Median testicular arterial blood flow and median flow rate in milliliters per minute per 100 g of testicular tissue were found to be significantly decreased in the patient group compared to the control group: blood flow, 1.42 and 2.00 ml/min; flow rate, 9.63 and 12.35 ml/min/100 g, respectively (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were found between sperm concentration and left testicular artery blood flow (p < 0.05) and between left testicular volume and testicular artery blood flow (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Testicular arterial blood flow was found to be significantly decreased in men with varicocele. This may be a reflection of the impaired microcirculation. Following decreased testicular arterial blood flow, impaired spermatogenesis may result from defective energy metabolism in the microcirculatory bed.