Complement is part of the host’s natural defense mechanisms against pathogens. Its exploration is based in first intention on a quantitative evaluation of the C3 and C4 fractions by automated and standardized immunoassay techniques. Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) separates proteins into 6 fractions. The beta-2 globulin fraction contains complement C3-C4, the amplitude of which allows their quantification. In this context, we carried out a comparative study between the two assay techniques. We included all patients who had simultaneously received a weight determination of the C3 and C4 fractions by turbidimetry on a SPA Plus® automaton and an SPEP on a Capillarys Sebia® automaton over a period of one year. Our study demonstrated a positive correlation between these two methods with Pearson r=0.801, P-value<0.001. Studies have reported that SPEP can be used for the detection of hypocomplementemia by a decrease in the fraction of beta-2 globulins. In capillary electrophoresis (Capillarys Sebia®), beta-2 globulins contain almost exclusively complement. To date, our study is the first to seek the correlation between two electrophoretic and turbidimetric methods for the quantification of complement.
The verification/validation of a method is a necessary prerequisite before any activity in a medical biology laboratory. Also, it is important to remember the control of the risks associated with any dosing method as well as the impact of pre-analytical conditions on the post-analytical step. The objective of this work is to evaluate the analytical performance of serum and urinary glucose assay using the hexokinase enzymatic method of the manufacturer Abbott on the Alinity automaton of the same manufacturer. The verified parameters are reproducibility and repeatability, through the results of internal quality controls retrieved by creating procedures in the section of validation/verification of methods in our software: Big. The results of the performance evaluation in terms of reproducibility and repeatability demonstrate a perfect compliance of this method of serum and urine glucose determination by the Abbott kit on the Alinity PLC of the same manufacturer.
Mitochondrial diseases, are the most frequent hereditary diseases of metabolism. They are characterized by a dysfunction of the respiratory chain, which results in an energy deficit.These are very heterogeneous diseases, with a very variable clinical presentation and often difficult diagnosis. They are due to the alteration of very diverse genes located either on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or on the nuclear genome. Recent technological advances with exon sequencing have led to the discovery of many genes involved and to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of these diseases, which are essential for the development of specific treatments.The diagnostic approach consists in recognizing the disease in front of the clinical presentation, For clinical practice, the diagnostic approach of mitochondrial cytopathies would be more easy if the practitioner keeps in mind the most evocative clinical pictures and if he provides proof of the mitochondrial anomaly by biochemical, radiological and histopathological explorations. Only the highlighting of the causative gene makes it possible to affirm the diagnosis of mitochondrial disease. Genetic diagnosis allows genetic counseling, in order to support the prognosis, particularly pejorative for early-onset forms.