We performed a method comparison between the Fujirebio® Lumipulse G AMH assay and the Roche® Elecsys AMH assay using the same pediatric samples. We described full pediatric gender and age-specific reference ranges for AMH using the Fujirebio® AMH assay on the Lumipulse G 600 II. The study was performed on 281 plasma samples collected in tubes with lithium heparin. The samples were from patients (135 males and 146 females) aged from 3 days to 22 years collected at the University Hospital Center of Tours. The Fujirebio® Lumipulse method showed excellent correlation with Roche® Elecsys but had a significant proportional positive bias. The data were used to propose pediatric reference values adapted to the Fujirebio® method. Our study described full pediatric gender and age-related reference ranges for AMH using the Fujirebio® AMH assay on the Lumipulse G600II. The delineation between normal male and female AMH concentrations make them valuable clinical tools for the monitoring of pediatric sexual and reproductive development from early childhood through the pubertal transition into adulthood.

Background: We performed a method comparison between the Fujirebio (R) Lumipulse G AMH assay and the Roche (R) Elecsys AMH assay using the same pediatric samples. We described full pediatric gender and age-specific reference ranges for AMH using the Fujirebio (R) AMH assay on the Lumipulse G 600 II. Methods: The study was performed on 281 plasma samples collected in tubes with lithium heparin. The samples were from patients (135 males and 146 females) aged from 3 days to 22 years collected at the University Hospital Center of Tours. Results: The Fujirebio (R) Lumipulse method showed excellent correlation with Roche (R) Elecsys but had a significant proportional positive bias. The data were used to propose pediatric reference values adapted to the Fujirebio (R) method. Conclusions: Our study described full pediatric gender and age-related reference ranges for AMH using the Fujirebio (R) AMH assay on the Lumipulse G600II. The delineation between normal male and female AMH concentrations make them valuable clinical tools for the monitoring of pediatric sexual and reproductive development from early childhood through the pubertal transition into adulthood.

The association between bariatric surgery outcome and blood levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) remains controversial. Many patients displayed stable or decreased FGF21 one year after bariatric surgery. Nevertheless, there is often an early increase FGF21 concentration in the post-surgery period. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between 3-month FGF21 response and percentage total weight loss at one year after bariatric surgery. In this prospective monocentric study, a total of 144 patients with obesity grade 2–3 were included; 61

Iron metabolism is tightly linked to infectious and inflammatory signals through hepcidin synthesis. To date, iron homeostasis during SARS-CoV-2 infection has not yet been described. The aim of this study is to characterize the hepcidin and erythroid regulators (growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) and erythroferrone (ERFE)) by measuring concentrations in plasma in context of COVID-19 disease. We performed a single-center observational study of patients with COVID-19 to evaluate concentrations of main regulatory proteins involved in iron homeostasis, namely: hepcidin, ERFE and GDF-15. SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19 + ) was defined by a positive RT-PCR. Sixteen patients with COVID-19 + were gender-matched and age-matched to 16 patients with a sepsis unrelated to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 − ) and were compared with non-parametric statistic test. Clinical and hematological parameters, plasma iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor and C reactive protein were not statistically different between both groups. Median plasma hepcidin concentrations were higher in the COVID-19 + group (44.1 (IQR 16.55–70.48) vs 14.2 (IQR 5.95–18.98) nmol/L, p=0.003), while median ERFE and GDF-15 concentrations were lower in the COVID-19 + group (0.16 (IQR 0.01–0.73) vs 0.89 (IQR 0.19–3.82) ng/mL, p=0.035; 2003 (IQR 1355–2447) vs 4713 (IQR 2082–7774) pg/mL, p=0015), respectively) compared with the COVID-19 − group. This is the first study reporting lower ERFE and GDF-15 median concentrations in patients with COVID-19 + compared with patients with COVID-19 − , associated with an increased median concentration of hepcidin in the COVID-19 + group compared with COVID19 − group.

Journal Article A Negative Internal Standard in Urinary Metanephrines Quantification Get access Hugo Alarcan, Hugo Alarcan Service de Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France Address correspondence to this author at: Service de Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, Hôpital Bretonneau, CHRU de Tours, 2 boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France. Fax 02 47 47 86 13; e-mail hugo.alarcan@univ-tours.fr. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Arthur Wilhelm, Arthur Wilhelm Service de Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Colette Faideau, Colette Faideau Service de Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Jean-Baptiste Delaye, Jean-Baptiste Delaye Service de Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Christian R Andres Christian R Andres Service de Biochimie et Biologie moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Clinical Chemistry, Volume 68, Issue 11, November 2022, Pages 1475–1476, https://doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/hvac060 Published: 29 March 2022 Article history Received: 15 February 2022 Accepted: 03 March 2022 Published: 29 March 2022

Background In ineffective erythropoiesis, hepcidin synthesis is suppressed by erythroid regulators, namely erythroferrone and growth differentiation factor-15. For the first time, the hypothesis that iron overload in megaloblastic anemia may be related to ineffective erythropoiesis is explored by describing the kinetics of hepcidin, erythroferrone, and growth differentiation factor-15 levels in a patient diagnosed with megaloblastic anemia associated with iron overload. Case presentation An 81-year-old Caucasian male was admitted for fatigue. He had type-2 diabetes previously treated with metformin, ischemic cardiac insufficiency, and stage-3 chronic kidney disease. Vitiligo was observed on both hands. Biological tests revealed normocytic non-regenerative anemia associated with hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, and elevated sideremia, ferritin, and transferrin saturation levels. Megaloblastic anemia was confirmed with undetectable blood vitamin B12 and typical cytological findings like hyper-segmented neutrophils in blood and megaloblasts in bone marrow. The patient received vitamin B12 supplementation. At 3 months, biological parameters reached normal values. Hepcidin kinetics from diagnosis to 3 months inversely correlated with those of erythroferrone and growth differentiation factor-15. Conclusions This case suggests that iron-overload mechanisms of dyserythropoietic anemias may apply to megaloblastic anemias.

Introduction: Knowing the risk of potential sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) instrument-contamination is essential in hospitals. We examined the relevance of the p-Tau/Tau ratio to exclude a probable case of sCJD in clinical practice, and we established an alert system to quickly inform health professionals in case of positivity. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on 143 cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients suspected for sCJD. The distinction between probable cases of sCJD and other patients was based on clinical, paraclinical and biological (14-3-3, Tau, p-Tau, A beta 1-42) data. From this experience, the health professionals developed an alert system to be implemented upon a suspected case of sCJD. Results: A significant decrease in p-Tau/Tau ratio between sCJD and the other diseases was observed (p < 0.001). The combined Tau test presented a sensitivity higher than 14-3-3 (100% versus 92.3%, p = 0.006) and an equivalent specificity (90% versus 96.1%). The time required for obtaining results was higher for 14-3-3 due to the centralization of investigations in some laboratories (3 weeks versus 2 h). In the presence of these elements, the triggering of the alert system was based on the p-Tau/Tau ratio. This system involves sending an automatic mail to the hospital department involved in the patient's care and the hospital hygiene team, which oversees the application of the procedures. Conclusion: The p-Tau/Tau concentrations present the desired criteria for use in current medical practice to fight against iatrogenic transmission. The alert system confirms a probable case of sCJD instantly to health professionals. Hygiene and sterilization measures can be applied immediately.

Objectives: Autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability present a challenge for therapeutic and dietary management. We performed a re-analysis of plasma amino acid chromatography of children with autism spectrum disorders (n = 22) or intellectual disability (n = 29) to search for a metabolic signature that can distinguish individuals with these disorders from controls (n = 30). Methods: We performed univariate and multivariate analyses using different machine learning strategies, from the raw data of the amino acid chromatography. Finally, we analysed the metabolic pathways associated with discriminant biomarkers. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed models to discriminate patients with autism spectrum disorders or intellectual disability and controls from plasma amino acid profiles (P < 0.0003). Univariate analysis showed that autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability patients shared similar differences relative to controls, including lower glutamate (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0002, respectively) and serine (P = 0.002 for both) concentrations. The multivariate model (P < 6.12.10(-7)) to discriminate between autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability revealed the involvement of urea, 3-methyl-histidine and histidine metabolism. Biosigner analysis and univariate analysis confirmed the role of 3-methylhistidine (P = 0.004), histidine (P = 0.003), urea (P = 0.0006) and lysine (P = 0.002). Conclusions: We revealed discriminant metabolic patterns between autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability and controls. Amino acids known to play a role in neurotransmission were discriminant in the models comparing autism spectrum disorders or intellectual disability to controls, and histidine and b-alanine metabolism was specifically highlighted in the model.