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Sensitivity Values (sensitivity + value)

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Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Plasma urocortin in acute myocardial infarction patients

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 10 2010
Arintaya Phrommintikul
Eur J Clin Invest 2010; 40 (10): 874,882 Abstract Background, Despite its proposed cardioprotective effect, the role of plasma urocortin in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unknown. We investigated plasma profile of urocortin in AMI patients and evaluated its long-term prognostic performance. Material and methods, Sixty-six AMI patients and 21 healthy subjects were included in this study. Blood samples for urocortin were collected on days 0 (onset), 1, 3 and 5 and at 3 and 6 months. Primary endpoint was mortality within 1 year of follow-up. Secondary endpoint was combined death and nonfatal adverse cardiac events (i.e. myocardial reinfarction, urgent revascularization or hospitalization due to heart failure) within 1 year. Results, During follow-up at 1 year, 38 (57·6%) patients were alive without cardiac events, nine (13·6%) had nonfatal cardiac events and 17 (25·8%) died. Plasma urocortin in AMI patients were increased on days 0, 1, 3 and 5 (P < 0·05 vs. control). The receiver-operating characteristic curve showed an area under curve (AUC) of day 0 urocortin to be 0·750 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0·619,0·881 (P = 0·004), whereas AUC of NT-proBNP was 0·857 (95% CI, 0·722,0·992; P = 0·003). Sensitivity values for predicting the mortality of urocortin NT-proBNP and a combined urocortin and NT-proBNP were 0·81 (95% CI, 0·54,0·95), 0·86 (95% CI, 0·42,0·99) and 1·0 (95% CI, 0·56,1·0), respectively. Conclusions, Plasma urocortin level is elevated in AMI patients for 5 days from onset. High plasma urocortin within 24 h after the onset is associated with increased mortality. Combined urocortin and NT-proBNP enhance prognostic performance in AMI patients. [source]

Transverse chromatic aberration and colour-defined motion

OPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 4 2000
Jocelyn Faubert
Summary A number of recent studies have explored the role of the chromatic system in motion processes using the isoluminance paradigm. A major concern when using such methodological procedures is potential artefacts produced by chromatic aberrations. In the present study we address the problem of optically induced luminance artefacts produced by transverse chromatic aberrations (TCA), which may contaminate the results obtained in chromatic motion-nulling experiments. Results show that different TCA levels artificially increase chromatic motion sensitivity values to varying degrees above 0.5 cpd for red/green gratings. The data also suggest the notion that naturally occurring TCA can decrease motion-nulling thresholds for chromatic gratings at high spatial frequencies. Furthermore, our data show that the motion-nulling paradigm for chromatic gratings may in fact be an efficient functional method for assessing the amount of TCA produced by optical factors. [source]

Evaluation of Fractal-Coated Temporary Pacing Leads in the Early Postoperative Course

PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2008
FRITZ MELLERT M.D.
Background:The performance of temporary pacing wires is still limited by capture and sensing problems. Fractal coating can enhance electrical properties and reliability. We therefore investigated fractal-laminated wires in comparison with conventional wires. Methods:In 21 patients two unipolar, fractal-coated pacing wires (fe) and one conventional bipolar electrode (se) were implanted in ventricular position. Afterward pacing threshold (V), R-wave sensing (mV), lead impedance (ohm), and slew-rate (mV/s) were measured. Loss of capture or sensing and dislocation was documented. fe wires were examined with energy dispersive x-ray diffraction (EDX)-analysis and scanning electrode microscopy (SEM). Results:Failure in pacing was less frequent in fe wires. Also fe leads had lower pacing thresholds at implantation (0.76 ± 0.15 V vs 1.51 ± 0.95 V, P< 0.0001) and afterward. Furthermore fe wires showed lower increase of pacing threshold/time (0.25 V/day vs 0.42 V/day). R-wave sensing and slew-rate values in the fe group on day of operation (5.81 ± 4.80 mV; 0.63 ± 0.71 V/s) were lower than in the se group (10.37 ± 6.89 mV; 1.85 ± 1.71 V/s P< 0.0001) and afterward. Nevertheless, decrease of amplitude/time was lower in fe wires (0.17mV/day vs 0.46 mV/day). fe wires always had lower impedance values. Conclusions:Lower pacing threshold and increase of threshold/time in fe wires indicate more reliable function. Initial lower sensitivity values are still not understandable and must be investigated. However, fe wires, constancy of sensing and impedance values was more stable, so fe epicardial wires can be recommended for safe and feasible use. [source]

Lymphocyte proliferation testing in chromium allergic contact dermatitis

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
L. E. A. M. Martins
Summary Background., Lymphocyte proliferation testing (LPT) has some advantages over patch testing to diagnose allergic contact dermatitis. It is harmless, objective and can be used in clinical situations where patch testing is not recommended. Unfortunately, significant success has only been achieved with nickel. There are few studies on chromium LPT and they were performed with different methods, leading to inconsistent results. Methods., To determine the best parameters for chromium LPT, we tested 20 patients with allergic contact dermatitis to the metal and 20 controls, using various protocols. Results., The best sensitivity and specificity ratios were achieved with 6-day cultures stimulated with a range from 7.5 × 10 -4 to 5 × 10 -3 mol/L of nonfiltered chromium chloride solutions. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy values found within this range were 65%, 95% and 80%, respectively. Conclusion., Further investigation is necessary to achieve better sensitivity values. [source]