Articles related to TESTING/LABS

Originally published in JAMA Psychiatry, a broad-based study shows nearly 7% of OUD patients are adding buprenorphine to urine sample to fake treatment adherence. Buprenorphine spiking suggests to the physician that the treatment plan is not working—especially in patients continuing illicit drug use.

The rate and scope of technology adoption in the healthcare process are hotly debated topics. These include the following in the case of refraction:

The article reports that a new blood test, called the EasyM protocol, has been certified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in detecting multiple myeloma relapse. The test works by detecting small amounts of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood, which can indicate the presence of residual disease. The EasyM protocol is reportedly more sensitive than existing tests for detecting ctDNA, and can provide results in just a few hours. The article notes that the test has the potential to improve patient outcomes by allowing for earlier detection of relapse and more personalized treatment options.

The Abbott Alinity I TBI test is a laboratory-based test that measures ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein, two biomarkers in the blood that have been linked to brain injury when present in high concentrations. The test has a sensitivity of 96.7% and a negative predictive value of 99.4%. The availability of a blood test provides clinicians with an objective method to quickly evaluate patients with mTBIs while eliminating the need for a head CT scan, potentially reducing health care costs and minimizing emergency department wait times.

The patient’s blood pressure is 110/70 and his pulse is 52. Cardiac auscultation is normal. BMI is 22. The ECG shows sinus bradycardia and voltage criteria for LVH. The QT interval is 400 ms, and there is early repolarization. Review the details of the ECG and echo and determine your diagnosis.

Reducing unneeded lab work in the hospital setting is a monumental task. It is a kind of security blanket, and it is automated in many EMRs. For clinicians, seeing that lab values are stable can be a reassurance while waiting for treatment to take effect. And everyone has their story of the one patient for whom a change in routine daily labs prompted urgent intervention.