ObjectiveTo examine and compare the value of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6 in diagnosing fetal sepsis in premature neonates. MethodsPreterm neonates with premature rupture of membrane between January 2010 and September 2012 were screened, and the serum levels of PCT, CRP and IL-6 were detected in the first day of life. All preterm neonates were divided into two groups according to the development of sepsis (45 cases with sepsis and 39 cases without sepsis). ResultsThe levels of PCT, CRP and IL-6 in premature neonates with sepsis were all significantly higher than those without sepsis. The cut-off value of PCT in diagnosis of sepsis was 2.14 μg/L, with a sensitivity and specificity of 76% and 85% respectively; the cut-off value of CRP in diagnosis of sepsis was 7.90 mg/L, with a sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 61% respectively. For IL-6, the cut-off value in diagnosis of sepsis was 13.80 ng/L, and its sensitivity and specificity were high to 90% and 94%, respectively. ConclusionIL-6 is the most reliable biochemical marker for the detection of early-onset sepsis in preterm neonates with premature rupture of membrane.
Objective To compare the diagnostic accuracy of different combination regimens of myocardial infarction markers in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction; and to estimate the effect of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in improving the diagnostic accuracy of the combinations. Methods Patients with acute onset of chest pain were included randomly. Serum concentrations of H-FABP and other biochemical markers for myocardial infarction (cTnI, Myo) were determined immediately, and then acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients were defined according to the WHO criteria. ROC curves for three biochemical markers were established respectively, and the cutoff values of the three markers were determined accordingly. Three combination regimens of myocardial infarction markers for AMI diagnosis were designed: cTnI+Myo, cTnI+H-FABP, cTnI+H-FABP+Myo. Diagnostic accuracy of the three regimens were then calculated and compared. Results The AUCs for the three biochemical markers were AUCcTnI 0.938 (95%CI: 0.888-0.988), AUCMyo 0.743 (95%CI: 0.651-0.836), and AUCH-FABP 0.919 (95%CI: 0.873-0.964), respectively. AUCH-FABP was significantly larger than AUCMyo (Plt;0.01). The cutoff values of the three biochemical markers for diagnosing AMI were defined as CutoffcTnI 0.5 ng/mL, CutoffMyo 90 ng/mL, and CutoffH-FABP 5.7 ng/mL, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of these markers and their combination regimens were calculated and presented as follows (cTnI, Myo, H-FABP, cTnI+Myo, cTnI+H-FABP, cTnI+Myo+H-FABP): sensitivity: 0.804, 0.674, 0.783, 0.957, 0.957 and 0.957; specificity: 0.966, 0.747, 0.954, 0.724, 0.92 and 0.724; diagnostic efficacy: 0.910, 0.722, 0.895, 0.805, 0.932 and 0.805, respectively. Compared with the combination of cTnI+H-FABP, the sensitivities of cTnI (Z=2.261, P=0.024), Myo (Z=3.497, Plt;0.001) and H-FABP (Z=2.478, P=0.013) were significantly lower; the specificities of Myo (Z=3.062, P=0.002), cTnI+Myo (Z=3.378, Plt;0.001) and cTnI+Myo+H-FABP (Z=3.378, Plt;0.001) were significantly lower; and the diagnostic efficacies of Myo (Z=4.528, Plt;0.001), cTnI+Myo (Z=3.064, P=0.002) and cTnI+Myo+H-FABP (Z=3.064, P=0.002) were significantly lower. Conclusion The combination regimen of cTnI+H-FABP which includes H-FABP as the sensitive marker seems to be more effective than the currently used combinations in diagnosing AMI in patients with acute onset of chest pain.
Objective To introduce the current studies on bone biochemical markers in breast cancer with bone metastasis. Methods The papers in recent 8 years about the application of bone biochemical markers in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer with bone metastasis were reviewed. Results NTX had the best relation with bone metastasis. ICTP was much more worthy than NTX in diagnosis of breast cancer with bone metastasis. Osteogenesis markers were little worthy in diagnosis of breast cancer with bone metastasis. Conclusion Bone biochemical markers can not replace the image exams and biopsy in diagnosing the bone metastasis of breast cancer,but may be one of the factors to get the early diagnosis.
With the intensification of global aging trends and the continuous rise in the incidence of chronic diseases, the demand for health monitoring and early intervention has become increasingly urgent. Owing to their non-invasive nature, portability, and comfort, flexible wearable sensors have emerged as a key technology driving the development of personalized healthcare. Starting from specific application scenarios in health monitoring, this article systematically reviews recent research advances in flexible sensors within the healthcare field. Firstly, it outlines the design fundamentals of flexible sensors. This is followed by a focused analysis of their specific applications in monitoring vital signs, biochemical markers, as well as motion and neural activities, along with an in-depth exploration of the clinical significance, technical challenges, and targeted solutions in different scenarios. Finally, the current technical bottlenecks and clinical challenges are summarized, and an outlook on the future development of health monitoring systems is provided. This review aims to provide a systematic reference for the deep integration of flexible electronics technology and medicine.