Catlab Reports Bulletin
The Catlab Reports Bulletin is published monthly. Until the publication of the Catlab website, it was mailed electronically to our clients. It consists of a monograph related with laboratory topics. Each month it addresses a different area of Catlab; the topics can be more specific (concrete diagnostic techniques) or deal with more generic aspects (Quality, Management, …).
INMUNOLOGÍA -
Immune response and COVID-19
The clinical presentations of COVID-19 range from asymptomatic forms to a syndrome with cytokine release, respiratory failure, and death. People over 60 years old and those with comorbidities, are more susceptible to developing a deficient immune response, unable to eliminate the virus, and responsible for cytokine release syndrome.
However, other host factors, some still unknown, and some likely genetic in nature, appear to confer susceptibility to complications.
MICROBIOLOGY - Response of the Microbiology area against SARS-CoV-2(COVID19)
The reference technique for performing the microbiological diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is real-time PCR, which allows the detection of various virus genes with a sensitivity greater than 98%. At Catlab, various organizational changes were made to deal with the situation, and offer a SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic service 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
IMMUNOLOGY - Diagnostic utility of the Kappa Index in Multiple Sclerosis
Today there are still no optimal biomarkers to identify all those affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Numerous studies show that the quantitative analysis of kappa free chains can be of great help in predicting Isolated Neurological Syndrome, which is usually the first clinical outbreak that leads to the diagnosis of MS. In our laboratory, in addition to the kappa light chains in CSF and serum, we also have the determination of the Kappa Index.
QUALITY - Flexible scope accreditation
The UNE-EN ISO 15189: 2013 is an international standard that specifies the requirements regarding the competence and quality of clinical laboratories. The scope of each accreditation provides information on the activities in which the laboratory has demonstrated competence. A flexible scope allows new tests to be incorporated or modifications to be made at any time, for methods and analyzers that are already accredited. Catlab, one of the Laboratories with the highest percentage of accredited activity, has a flexible scope for most of its magnitudes.
MICROBIOLOGY - Valuation of the screening of Urine cultures in Primary
The diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI) is based on three factors: the patient's symptoms, the examination of the urine forms and the urine culture. In 2016, to qualitatively optimize the microbiological diagnosis of UTI, a screening of the urine with culture requested is started. The result of this screening is a clear decrease in negative urine cultures, an increase in positive ones, and a tendency to reduce contaminated urine cultures.
HEMATOLOGY - Diagnosis of von Willebrand disease
Von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder (1 case per 10,000 inhabitants) and is characterized by defective platelet adhesion and aggregation, with mucosal associated bleeding and after surgery and trauma. The diagnosis is based on a personal or family history of bleeding, and abnormal laboratory tests of von Willebrand Factor, Factor VIII or both. In Catlab the basic coagulation tests are performed, and the first level tests for the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease; FVIII, FvW:Ag, FvW:RCo.
GENETICS - Study of rearrangements in microsatellite instability of tumor DNA
The mismatch repair system (MMR) repairs small sequence errors, produced in DNA replication. Certain tumor subtypes present as a trigger mechanism a defect in the MMR genes, which gives them a biological behavior and a different prognosis to other tumors of the same tissues. This defect manifests itself at the molecular level as an instability in the size of gene regions called microsatellites. In Catlab, the analysis of five microsatellite regions is performed, using PCR and capillary electrophoresis on paraffin samples of tumor tissue, as a marker of MMR system deficiency.
BIOCHEMISTRY - Fecal occult blood updates
Colorectal cancer ranks second in cancer incidence and mortality in developed countries. Recently in Catlab a series of changes have been made to update the technique and improve clinical interpretation. The analyzer and the collection container have been changed. The unit of the expressed results, and the cut-off point has been changed too.
MICROBIOLOGY - Poseidon Project; development of a biosensor for Legionella detection
The Poseidon Project has been funded by the Horizon 2020 Program. Six institutions from 4 European countries participated, including Catlab. The objective was to develop a biosensor to monitor the concentration of Legionella in situ in water systems in high-risk facilities. Catlab's task was to validate the prototype detection and quantification of Legionella in water samples.
CYTOMETRY - Evolution in the diagnosis by immunophenotype of CLPD
Chronic B cell lymphoproliferative syndromes (BCLPD) comprise a heterogeneous group of hematologic tumors that affect mature B lymphocytes. Recently, they have begun to be used routinely in clinical laboratories, immunophenotypic techniques that allow the labeling of antibodies with different fluorochromes and provide a specific, sensitive and reproducible count for the different cellular subpopulations.