Úvod: V klinické neurologické a rehabilitační praxi je dostupná řada nástrojů pro hodnocení rovnováhy, ale jejich používání se na jednotlivých pracovištích v České republice liší. Jedním z testů je Mini-BESTest (The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test), který je klinicky snadno proveditelný, hodnotí proaktivní i reaktivní složku stability a má odpovídající psychometrické vlastnosti. Cíl: Cílem bylo vytvořit oficiální český překlad nástroje Mini-BESTest a navrhnout doporučení pro jeho klinické použití při hodnocení rovnováhy u pacientů v chronickém stadiu CMP. Metody: Oficiální česká verze nástroje Mini-BESTest byla získána formou zpětného překladu a verifikována autorkou originálního testu Fay B. Horak. Výsledky a závěr: Česká verze testu vč. instrukcí pro jeho administraci je nyní k dispozici pro rutinní použití v oblasti neurologie a rehabilitace. Mini-BESTest je spolehlivý a platný nástroj pro hodnocení rovnováhy u pacientů v chronickém stadiu CMP.
Introduction: There are a number of balance assessment tools available in clinical neurological and rehabilitation practice, but their use in individual workplaces within the Czech Republic varies. One of the tests is The Mini-BESTest (the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test), which is clinically easy to perform, evaluates both the anticipatory and reactive postural components of stability, and has corresponding psychometric properties. Aim: The aim was to create an official Czech translation of the Mini-BESTest and propose recommendations for its clinical use in the assessment of balance in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: The official Czech version of the Mini-BESTest was created by means of back translation and verified by the author of the original test Fay B. Horak. Results and conclusion: The Czech version of the Mini-BESTest, including instructions for its administration, is now ready for routine use in the field of neurology and rehabilitation. The Mini-BESTest is a reliable and valid tool for assessing balance in patients with chronic stroke.
- Klíčová slova
- Mini-BESTest,
- MeSH
- cévní mozková příhoda komplikace MeSH
- diagnostické testy rutinní * metody MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- posturální rovnováha * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
The early identification of asymptomatic yet infectious cases is vital to curb the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and to control the disease in the post-pandemic era. In this paper, we propose a fast, inexpensive and high-throughput approach using painless nasal-swab self-collection followed by direct RT-qPCR for the sensitive PCR detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This approach was validated in a large prospective cohort study of 1038 subjects, analysed simultaneously using (1) nasopharyngeal swabs obtained with the assistance of healthcare personnel and analysed by classic two-step RT-qPCR on RNA isolates and (2) nasal swabs obtained by self-collection and analysed with direct RT-qPCR. Of these subjects, 28.6% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 using nasopharyngeal swab sampling. Our direct RT-qPCR approach for self-collected nasal swabs performed well with results similar to those of the two-step RT-qPCR on RNA isolates, achieving 0.99 positive and 0.98 negative predictive values (cycle threshold [Ct] < 37). Our research also reports on grey-zone viraemia, including samples with near-cut-off Ct values (Ct ≥ 37). In all investigated subjects (n = 20) with grey-zone viraemia, the ultra-small viral load disappeared within hours or days with no symptoms. Overall, this study underscores the importance of painless nasal-swab self-collection and direct RT-qPCR for mass testing during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and in the post-pandemic era.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 diagnóza prevence a kontrola MeSH
- diagnostické testy rutinní metody MeSH
- klinické laboratorní techniky metody MeSH
- kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- odběr biologického vzorku metody MeSH
- plošný screening metody MeSH
- průzkumy a dotazníky MeSH
- samovyšetření metody MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 genetika MeSH
- senzitivita a specificita MeSH
- testování na COVID-19 metody MeSH
- virová nálož metody MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- validační studie MeSH
The determination of steroid hormones and subsequent interpretation of results is accompanied by a range of difficulties. The amount of information that current technology can provide on the circulating concentrations of more than a hundred various steroid compounds can lead to problems with interpretation. The aim of this study is to help provide orientation in this maze of data on steroid hormones. First we focus on specific aspects arising from the pre-analytical phase of steroid determination that need to be considered when planning sampling, whether for diagnostics or research. Then, we provide a brief summary of the characteristics and diagnostic relevance of several steroid hormones and/or their metabolites: pregnenolone, 17alpha-hydroxy-pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, hydroxyderivatives of dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, testosterone, estrone, estradiol, estriol, cortisol, cortisone, which in our institute are determined with validated LC-MS/MS methods. For these steroids, we also provide newly calculated reference values in fertile women according to the phase of their menstrual cycle.
- MeSH
- diagnostické testy rutinní metody MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemoci parodontu * diagnóza MeSH
- reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kazuistiky MeSH
Aim: Finding rapid, reliable diagnostic methods is a big challenge in clinical microbiology. Raman spectroscopy is an optical method used for multiple applications in scientific fields including microbiology. This work reports its potential in identifying biofilm positive strains of Candida parapsilosis and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Materials & methods: We tested 54 S. epidermidis strains (23 biofilm positive, 31 negative) and 51 C. parapsilosis strains (27 biofilm positive, 24 negative) from colonies on Mueller-Hinton agar plates, using Raman spectroscopy. Results: The accuracy was 98.9% for C. parapsilosis and 96.1% for S. epidermidis. Conclusion: The method showed great potential for identifying biofilm positive bacterial and yeast strains. We suggest that Raman spectroscopy might become a useful aid in clinical diagnostics.
OBJECTIVES: High-quality diagnosis of bloodstream infections (BSI) is important for successful patient management. As knowledge on current practices of microbiological BSI diagnostics is limited, this project aimed to assess its current state in European microbiological laboratories. METHODS: We performed an online questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey comprising 34 questions on practices of microbiological BSI diagnostics. The ESCMID Study Group for Bloodstream Infections, Endocarditis and Sepsis (ESGBIES) was the primary platform to engage national coordinators who recruited laboratories within their countries. RESULTS: Responses were received from 209 laboratories in 25 European countries. Although 32.5% (68/209) of laboratories only used the classical processing of positive blood cultures (BC), two-thirds applied rapid technologies. Of laboratories that provided data, 42.2% (78/185) were able to start incubating BC in automated BC incubators around-the-clock, and only 13% (25/192) had established a 24-h service to start immediate processing of positive BC. Only 4.7% (9/190) of laboratories validated and transmitted the results of identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of BC pathogens to clinicians 24 h/day. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry from briefly incubated sub-cultures on solid media was the most commonly used approach to rapid pathogen identification from positive BC, and direct disc diffusion was the most common rapid AST method from positive BC. CONCLUSIONS: Laboratories have started to implement novel technologies for rapid identification and AST for positive BC. However, progress is severely compromised by limited operating hours such that current practice of BC diagnostics in Europe complies only partly with the requirements for optimal BSI management.
- MeSH
- diagnostické techniky molekulární metody MeSH
- diagnostické testy rutinní metody MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mikrobiologické techniky metody MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- sepse diagnóza MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Evropa MeSH
