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Editor-in-chief
Maria Stella Graziani

Deputy Director
Martina Zaninotto

Associate Editors
Ferruccio Ceriotti
Davide Giavarina
Bruna Lo Sasso
Giampaolo Merlini
Martina Montagnana
Andrea Mosca
Paola Pezzati
Rossella Tomaiuolo
Matteo Vidali

EIC Assistant
Francesco Busardò

International Advisory Board Khosrow Adeli Canada
Sergio Bernardini Italy
Marcello Ciaccio Italy
Eleftherios Diamandis Canada
Philippe Gillery France
Kjell Grankvist Sweden
Hans Jacobs The Netherlands
Eric Kilpatrick UK
Magdalena Krintus Poland
Giuseppe Lippi Italy
Mario Plebani Italy
Sverre Sandberg Norway
Ana-Maria Simundic Croatia
Tommaso Trenti Italy
Cas Weykamp The Netherlands
Maria Willrich USA
Paul Yip Canada


Publisher
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano

Responsible Editor
Giuseppe Agosta

Editorial Secretary
Chiara Riva
Biomedia srl
Via L. Temolo 4, 20126 Milano
Tel. 0245498282
email: biochimica.clinica@sibioc.it

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ISSN print: 0393 – 0564
ISSN digital: 0392- 7091



BC: Articoli scritti da P.M. Ferraro

Utilità della spettroscopia all’infrarosso per l’analisi dei calcoli urinari
Usefulness of infrared spectroscopy for stone analysis: a case study
<p>A 22-year-old male with recurrent bilateral stone disease and positive family history for stones was referred in March 2015 to the Metabolic Stone Clinic of the Policlinico Gemelli Hospital; a metabolic assessment revealed a number of abnormalities including hypercalciuria, hypocitraturia and abnormally high fasting urine pH. The previously expelled urinary calculus was sent to the clinical laboratory for the biochemical analysis by the infrared method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis identifying brushite and carbapatite, together with the finding of high urine pH, raised the suspicion of distal renal tubular acidosis which was subsequently confirmed by the urinary acidification test. The semiquantitative method of stone composition analysis would have yielded a mixture of calcium, ammonium, phosphate and magnesium, thus likely directing the diagnostic work-up, together with the abnormally high urine pH, towards infectious stones (e.g., by urease-producing bacteria). The information obtained by FT-IR analysis allowed clinicians to correctly hypothesize a urinary acidification deficit, which was subsequently treated with potassium citrate supplements.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 41(2) e13-e14
Casi clinici - Case report
 
Ruolo della spettroscopia infrarossa in trasformata di Fourier nella valutazione della calcolosi urinaria
Role of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in the evaluation of urinary stone disease
<p>Nephrolithiasis is a common disease occurring in both industrialized and developing countries and mainly affecting&nbsp;adults aged 20-60 years. The determination of crystalline and molecular composition and the quantification of all&nbsp;stone components are helpful to establish the etiology of urinary stone disease. Different methodologies exist for the&nbsp;analysis of renal stones. In our laboratory, we used the chemical spot test, which is the most popular method for&nbsp;routine stone analysis. However, this method is relatively inaccurate and does not allow distinguishing between the&nbsp;crystalline phases. In this paper, we evaluated the quantitative FT-IR spectroscopy technique for a possible&nbsp;introduction in our laboratory. We analyzed 100 urinary stones, divided into 3 groups: pure stones, mixed stones, and&nbsp;pure stones with substances in trace. Results of each group were compared with those obtained with chemical spot&nbsp;test. A total or partial disagreement between the two methods was observed in 59% of pure stones, in 86.6% of mixed&nbsp;stones and in 100% of pure stones with substances in trace, respectively, suggesting the replacement of the chemical&nbsp;test with FT-IR spectroscopy.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 40(1) 28-32
Contributi scientifici - Scientific Papers