Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine (EBLM)

How important are laboratory results in clinical decision making? Are they as valuable in acute myocardial infarction as for a patient suffering from a common cold? Where is the evidence – and do we have enough data to support better patient outcome?

Choosing the right laboratory test at the right time has become increasingly important particularly in improving and speeding up the diagnostic process and reducing diagnostic errors and costs.

Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine is the leading theme on Thursday 9th of February, 2017 in International Congress on Quality in Laboratory Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.

Highlights from the scientific program

Where Is the Evidence? Demonstrating the Value of Laboratory Medicine, Mike Hallworth, UK
 

Applying the Principles of Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine, Christopher Price, Honorary Senior Fellow, University of Oxford, UK

Quality Control in Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine, Jérémie Gras, Clinical Biologist, Clinique Saint-Luc Bouge, Belgium

Innovative European Strategies in Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine: Laboratory Medicine as the Key Player, Olga Golubnitschaja, Editor-in-Chief, The EPMA-Journal, Head of Molecular Diagnostics, University of Bonn, Germany

From Results to Consequences: the Changing Landscape of Test Evaluation, Patrick Bossuyt, Prof. of Clinical Epidemiology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

International Congress on Quality in Laboratory Medicine
9th - 10th February, 2017
Helsinki, Finland

Scientific program
Registration

Read more:
International Congress on Quality in Laboratory Medicine 2017 

Source: Labquality

How Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens are Brought into Hospitals?

According to National Reference Center for Surveillance of Nosocomial Infections estimates, up to 15,000 patients die of hospital-acquired infections in Germany every year. Here, multidrug-resistant bacteria, against which common antibiotics are no longer effective, play a major role.

But where do these pathogens come from? In largest study of its kind in Europe, DZIF scientists from the University of Cologne investigated this question and discovered that almost ten percent of patients admitted into hospitals already bring these dreaded pathogens along with them from home.

"We were surprised that on hospital admission almost every tenth patient is colonized with multidrug-resistant pathogens," explains Dr. Axel Hamprecht from the University of Cologne. He coordinated this study, in which six German university hospitals participated, together with Prof. Harald Seifert, also from the University of Cologne, and colleagues from Charité Berlin. Over 4,000 adults were tested for multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae on admission into hospital by means of stool samples or rectal swabs.

Read more:
Scientists Investigate How Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens are Brought into Hospitals

Source: Scicasts
Image credits: IMMIH, Köln/Hamprecht

Free Online Atlas of Genetics in Haematology

The Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology is a peer reviewed on-line journal, encyclopaedia and database in free access on the Internet, devoted to genes, cytogenetics, and clinical entities in cancer, and cancer-prone diseases.

The aim is to cover the entire field under study. It presents structured reviews (cards) or traditional review papers ('deep insights'), a portal towards genetics and/or cancer databases and journals, teaching items in Genetics for students in Medicine and in Sciences, and a case report in hematology section.

It is made for and by: clinicians and researchers in cytogenetics, molecular biology, oncology, haematology, and pathology. Contributions are reviewed before acceptance. It deals with cancer research and genomics. It is at the crossroads of research, virtual medical university (university and post-university e-learning), and telemedicine. It contributes to "meta-medicine", this mediation, using new information technology, between the increasing amount of knowledge and the individual, having to use the information. Towards a personalized medicine of cancer.

Open Atlas here:
Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology

Source: atlasgeneticsoncology.org

Candy Genetics

Awesome presentation of goldbear genetics

Source: Facebook via Science Communication & Visualisation - somersault18:24

Would you like to work in Italy as a biomedical laboratory scientist?

IFBLS' member ANTeL have published a procedure for all Biomedical Laboratory Technologists and Scientist who want to work in Italy as Biomedical Laboratory Technologists being recognized by the Italian Health System.

There are two options and procedures:

• Course A: if you prefer to obtain the Italian bachelor in
  Biomedical Laboratory Technologies (Laurea in Tecniche di Labroatorio
  Biomedico) which allow to the profession;
  

• Course B: if you prefer to request to the Health Ministry to recognize your original diploma obtained in your country.

Open procedure guide here (pdf)


Read more from IFBLS web site:
PROCEDURE FOR THE ACCESS TO THE PROFESSION IN ITALY

Source: IFBLS

What your PSA level can predict when you are 30 years?

A study by Preston and colleagues looked at men who were participants in the Physicians' Health Study and for whom there were 30 years of follow-up. Blood samples from the time of study initiation were obtained and then analyzed for baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

Men were divided into three age groups: 40-49 years, 50-54 years, and 55-59 years. They compared men who developed lethal prostate cancer with those who were not diagnosed with prostate cancer over the 30-year period.

They found that baseline PSA was very predictive of risk of developing lethal cancer in the future. For example, if men had a greater than 90th percentile PSA at baseline, the odds ratio of developing lethal cancer ranged from 6.9 [55-59 years] to 12.6 [50-54 years] over the 30-year follow-up period.

Read more:
It's Surprising What One PSA Can Predict

Source: Medscape

Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism -- over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. Not only can mosquitoes carry diseases that afflict humans, they also transmit several diseases and parasites that dogs and horses are very susceptible to. These include dog heartworm, West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). In addition, mosquito bites can cause severe skin irritation through an allergic reaction to the mosquito's saliva - this is what causes the red bump and itching. Mosquito vectored diseases include protozoan diseases, i.e., malaria, filarial diseases such as dog heartworm, and viruses such as dengue, encephalitis and yellow fever. CDC Travelers' Health provides information on travel to destinations where human-borne diseases might be a problem.

• Malaria
• Chikungunya
• Dog Heartworm
• Dengue
• Yellow Fever
• Eastern Equine Encephalitis
• St. Louis Encephalitis
• LaCrosse Encephalitis
• Western Equine Encephalitis
• West Nile Virus
• Zika Virus

Read more:
Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Source: AMCA
Image: NIH