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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 L. Gesualdo

Potenziale ruolo dell’Human Epididymis Protein 4 come biomarcatore nella nefropatia mesangiale a depositi di IgA
Potential role of Human Epididymis Protein 4 (HE4) as biomarker for IgA Nephropathy
<p>Introduction: Human Epididymis Secretory Protein 4 (HE4) serum concentrations have been widely investigated in patients with ovarian cancer. However, high levels of HE4 can be also found in other tumors and in renal fibrosis. The aim of this study was to assess serum HE4 levels in a cohort of patients with IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) and the correlation of this potential biomarker with the degree of fibrosis.<br />Methods: the study included 63 Italian patients with histological diagnosis of IgAN (41 males and 22 females) where HE4 was measured at the time of renal biopsy using a chemiluminescent assay (Abbott Laboratories, Wiesbaden, Germany). The biopsy was scored according to the current Oxford classification using MEST score. The relationship between HE4 and each of the MEST parameters was analyzed by a non-parametric method. A ROC curve analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of HE4 in identifying the presence of fibrosis.<br />Results: serum HE4 concentrations were significantly increased across the progressive degrees of fibrosis related T parameter (p &lt;0.0001) [(median; interquartile range (IQR): T0 = 57.5 pmo/L (43.7-100.7); T1 = 106.0 pmo/L (78.0-149.0); T2 = 210.5 pmo/L (148.2-320.2)]. The ROC curve analysis, after adjusting for age and sex, showed that HE4 is diagnostic for the presence of fibrosis with an Area Under the Curve of 0.79 (95%CI: 0.68-0.91).<br />Conclusions: the relationship between serum level of HE4 and the degree of interstitial fibrosis suggests the potential role of HE4 as useful biomarker in IgAN.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 45(3) s071-s075
Contributi Scientifici - Scientific Papers
 
Esame fisico, chimico e morfologico delle urine: raccomandazioni per la fase postanalitica del Gruppo Interdisciplinare Laboratorio e Clinica Apparato Urinario (GIAU)
Physical, chemical and morphological urine examination: recommendations for the postanalytical phase from the Interdisciplinary Urinalysis Group (GIAU)
<p>This document of the Interdisciplinary Urinalysis Group (GIAU) is aimed to provide recommendations on how to improve and standardize the postanalytical approach to physical, chemical and morphological urine examination (ECMU). The main tool to emphasize the value of the ECMU is the development of a laboratory report suitable for the clinical needs. As a consequence, these recommendations are mainly related to the structure and content of the report. They include: the layout, the parameters to be included, the measurement units, the reference values, the inclusion of interpretative comments. Really, an important section of the report is dedicated to the interpretative comments: these are a real add-on value and are tailored on the type of laboratory performing the analysis (general or with a specific section dedicated to the urine examination). The different levels of the laboratory competence determine the category of possible comments. The basic one concerns comments that evaluate the non-conformity of the sample (i.e. presence of urethral, seminal, vaginal, faecal contamination; too concentrated/too diluted samples). The second level of comments is dedicated mainly to the reporting of the discrepancies between the biochemical analysis and the microscopy examination (i.e. presence of haemoglobin and no erythrocyte detection; presence of leucocyte esterase and no leucocyte detection). The third level requires a specific competence of the pathologist together with a strict collaboration with the clinic; these comments are elaborated on the basis of a specific clinical request. The detection of the &ldquo;decoy cells&rdquo; in immunosuppressed solid organ transplant recipients, that are typical of a poliomavirus infection, is a good example of the third level of interpretative comments. A final section of the document is dedicated to the opportunity to implement and adopt specific programs of external evaluation of the urinary sediment.<br />After the issuing of the recommendations dedicated to pre-analytical and analytical phases, this GIAU document gives suggestions for the standardisation and harmonisation of post-analytical phase in the attempt to emphasize the diagnostic importance of ECMU.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 44(1) 086-099
Documenti SIBioC - SIBioC Documents
 
Il contributo della misura delle catene leggere libere plasmatiche alla diagnostica della malattia da deposito delle catene leggere
The contribution of the plasma free light chains determination to the diagnosis of the Light Chain Deposition Disease
<p>The contribution of the plasma free light chains determination to the diagnosis of the Light Chain Deposition Disease. Light Chain Deposition Disease (LCDD) is a clinical condition characterized by renal deposition of monoclonal free light chains, produced by B-cells or plasma cell clone. In LCDD, non-organized monoclonal immunoglobulin deposits along the glomerular and tubular basement membranes are composed of monoclonal light chains (kappa isotype in 92% of cases). These deposits differ from amyloidosis deposits because they do not show the typical affinity for Congo Red and do not have a fibrillar organization. We described a 64 years male patient with hypertension, proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome. Plasma cell dyscrasias diagnostic work-up evidenced only an abnormal kappa/lambda ratio and increased plasma concentrations of kappa free light chains. Serum and urine immunofixation did not demonstrated the presence on monoclonal immunoglobulin. Kidney biopsy showed a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis pattern and renal immunofluorescence demonstrated the parietal diffuse linear staining of kappa monoclonal light chain along basement membranes. Ultrastructural appearance confirms the diagnosis of LCDD.</p>
Biochimica Clinica ; 42(4) e53-e55
Casi Clinici - Case Report