Arixtra® (fondaparinux) on plasma By Chromogenic Anti-Xa Assay
Following hip or knee replacement or abdominal surgery, patients have a high risk for clotting problems (thromboembolic events). While the subcutaneous administration of fondaparinux has proven useful as a prophylaxis against such events, clinicians must also monitor patients for the risk of bleeding into the spinal or epidural area that could cause long-term or permanent paralysis. ...(more...) |
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Group B Streptococcus (GBS) DNA by Real-Time Reverse Polymerase Chain Reaction
About 10% - 30% of pregnant women have vaginal and/or rectal colonization with GBS. While most remain asymptomatic, the presence of the organism poses a risk of infection to the fetus during pregnancy or the newborn during passage through the birth canal. About 1% - 2% of babies born to GBScolonized mothers will develop an early-onset invasive GBS infection. This makes GBS-infections a leading cause of infant mortality and serious neonatal infections such as sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. Even when treated successfully, the infections may lead to long-term disabilities such as hearing loss, impaired vision, developmental problems and cerebral palsy. ...(more...) |
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QUALITATIVE LEGIONELLA ANTIGEN ASSAY ON URINE BY IMMUNOCHROMATOGRAPHY
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year about 10,000 – 15,000 people in the U.S. are infected by Legionella pneumophila. Other estimates suggest even higher infection rates, noting that often the cause of pneumonia cases are not known. This may represent a significant portion of the half-million pneumonia cases each year in the U.S where each week 8-39 people die of pneumonia due to unknown organisms. ...(more...) |
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Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen In urine and CSF by immunochromatographic (ICT) assay
In the U.S., the introduction of an effective 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine for pneumococcal infections in 2001 drastically reduced the rate of invasive disease due to S. pneumoniae from 21-33 cases per 100,000 people to 13 cases per 100,000 people. Unfortunately, supplies of the vaccine have been sub optimal and lack of mandated vaccination programs has resulted in underutilization of the vaccine for children. ...(more...) |
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C-Peptide Testing By Chemiluminescent Enzyme Immunoassay
The pancreatic cleavage of proinsulin, the immediate precursor molecule of insulin, releases insulin plus a smaller protein molecule called Cpeptide. Once released, biologically inactive C-peptide circulates only briefly with 50% of the molecules released being cleared by the kidneys within 30 minutes. Increased serum levels of C-peptide may be due to increased production as in patients with tumors of the islet cells of the pancreas (called insulinomas) or decreased clearance due to renal failure. ...(more...) |
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Enterovirus Panel on CSF By Real Time PCR (polymerase chain reaction)
The family Enteroviridae includes Coxsackie A, Coxsackie B, Echovirus, Poliovirus and other viral species. While an effective vaccination program in the U.S. reduced the threat of Poliovirus infection, 62 Enterovirus species remain that can cause disease in humans. Every year in the U.S., Enteroviruses cause an estimated 10-15 million symptomatic infections, including a large portion of the annual 25,000-50,000 hospitalizations with aseptic meningitis. Serious cases of aseptic meningitis can result in paralysis or encephalitis and have been associated with cardiomyopathies. ...(more...) |
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Quadruple Marker Testing (Quad Screen) By ELISA (immunoassay)
The search for serum biomarkers to improve the sensitivity for second trimester Down’s syndrome screening led to the study of inhibin A, a protein produced by the syncytiotrophoblast of human placental tissue. Inhibin A acts on the pituitary gland to inhibit follicle stimulating hormone synthesis and secretion, shutting down the menstrual cycle during pregnancy. Studies in the early 1990s suggested that inhibin A in second trimester maternal serum were elevated in about half of the pregnancies affected by Down’s syndrome. ...(more...) |
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Helicobacter pylori Stool Antigen Qualitative Monoclonal Antibody Assay
The bacillus Helicobacter pylori was first discovered in the stomach of patients with chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in 1983. Further research determined it to be the causative agent in more than 90% of cases of these disorders. This makes H. pylori one of the most common and clinically significant pathogens worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that two-thirds of the world’s population is infected with H. pylori. The prevalence of infection tends to increase with age and lower socioeconomic status. ...(more...) |
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Influenza Virus A (FluA), Influenza Virus B (FluB) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Testing By Multiplex Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
While all age groups and demographic classes suffer the ill-effects of FluA, FluB and RSV, young children, elderly and immunocompromised patients contract the most severe complications from infection. In the U.S., influenza alone affects 5% - 20% of the population annually, resulting in over 200,000 hospitalizations and about 36,000 deaths. During the 2005-2006 flu season (October 1st to May 20th) Hawaii physicians reported 2.6% of patients visited their offices due to influenza-like illnesses. ...(more...) |
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Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii has opened a new Toxicology (Drug Testing) Service Center near the Honolulu airport that will offer complete drug and alcohol screening collection services to the Oahu business community.
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