The prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) at testing centers in Belgium, Germany, Spain, and the UK using the cobas TV/MG molecular assay.

Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) can lead to long-term sequelae in males and females; however, global prevalence data vary between geographical regions, as these sexually transmitted infections are not included in routine screening. The objective of this study was to use the cobas® TV/MG assay to assess the point prevalence of TV and MG in specimens from men and women over a broad European geographical area. Urine, vaginal, endocervical, and rectal samples were collected from patients aged ≥ 18 years receiving Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) screening as per local standard of care at sites in Belgium, Germany, Spain, and the UK (Wales). Remnant samples were assessed using the cobas TV/MG assay. Analysis of 2795 samples showed that MG prevalence varied slightly across female sample types (range: 1.7-5.8%; p = 0.0042). MG prevalence was higher in male rectal samples (12.5%) than in male urine samples (3.9%; p < 0.0001). TV prevalence was low in male (0.8%; 12/1535) and female (1.3%; 16/1260) samples across all sites. Co-infection of TV/MG with CT or NG was 10.0% (19/190) and 9.6% (7/73), respectively, in both male and female samples. MG and TV prevalence rates were comparable to the published literature in Europe. MG prevalence was highest in male rectal samples; as rectal testing is an off-label use of the cobas TV/MG assay, the clinical utility of this assay for rectal testing should be further investigated.

Influence of Turkish origin on hematology reference intervals in the German population.

Reference intervals for laboratory test results have to be appropriate for the population in which they are used to be clinically useful. While sex and age are established partitioning criteria, patients' origin also influences laboratory test results, but is not commonly considered when creating or applying reference intervals. In the German population, stratification for ethnicity is rarely performed, and no ethnicity-specific hematology reference intervals have been reported yet. In this retrospective study, we investigated whether specific reference intervals are warranted for the numerically largest group of non-German descent, individuals originating from Turkey. To this end, we analyzed 1,314,754 test results from 167,294 patients from six German centers. Using a name-based algorithm, 1.9% of patients were identified as originating from Turkey, in line with census data and the algorithm's sensitivity. Reference intervals and their confidence intervals were calculated using an indirect data mining approach, and Turkish and non-Turkish reference limits overlapped completely or partially in nearly all analytes, regardless of age and sex, and only 5/144 (3.5%) subgroups' reference limits showed no overlap. We therefore conclude that the current practice of using common reference intervals is appropriate and allows correct clinical decision-making in patients originating from Turkey.

Comparison of the clinical and analytical performance of Alinity m HR HPV and cobas 4800 HPV assays in a population-based screening setting.

BACKGROUND: The recently launched Abbott Alinity m HR HPV (Alinity) assay separately identifies high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) genotypes HPV16, HPV18, and HPV45, and reports 11 other genotypes as two aggregates. METHODS: Clinical and analytical performance of Alinity was compared with the cobas 4800 HPV assay on 4,334 women aged 20-64 years attending routine, population-based organized cervical cancer screening during 2009/2010. After 36 months, they were invited to participate in the second screening round (2012-2014) and later followed-up through centralized national cervical cancer screening registry. RESULTS: In women 30 and older, the clinical sensitivity for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2+ (CIN2+) was 100.0% (95% CI, 88.2-100.0%) for Alinity and 100.0% (95% CI, 88.2-100.0%) for cobas, and for CIN3+ 100.0% (95% CI, 78.9-100.0%) for both assays. The clinical specificity for ≤ CIN1 in women 30 and older was 92.4% (95% CI, 91.4-93.3%) and 92.9% (95% CI, 91.9-93.7%), respectively. The assays demonstrated excellent overall agreement for hrHPV detection (97.9%) and genotype-specific agreement for HPV16 (99.6%), HPV18 (99.8%), and other hrHPV (98.1%). Overall positive agreement and positive agreements for HPV16, HPV18, and other hrHPV genotypes were 84.3%, 89.1%, 73.2%, and 82.3%. Based on a 5-year CIN3+ risk, slightly more HPV-positive women would require referral to immediate colposcopy after testing with Alinity vs. cobas (4.1% vs. 3.8%; p = 0.470), but significantly fewer Alinity-tested women would need a 6- to 12-month follow-up visit compared with those tested with cobas (5.0% vs. 8.6%; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Alinity and cobas have comparable clinical performance and showed excellent overall and genotype-specific agreement. The Alinity's extended genotyping ability could help predict the 5-year CIN3+ risk and cost-saving management of HPV-screen-positive women.

High-resolution pediatric reference intervals for 15 biochemical analytes described using fractional polynomials.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of children's laboratory test results requires consideration of the extensive changes that occur during physiological development and result in pronounced sex- and age-specific dynamics in many biochemical analytes. Pediatric reference intervals have to account for these dynamics, but ethical and practical challenges limit the availability of appropriate pediatric reference intervals that cover children from birth to adulthood. We have therefore initiated the multi-center data-driven PEDREF project (Next-Generation Pediatric Reference Intervals) to create pediatric reference intervals using data from laboratory information systems. METHODS: We analyzed laboratory test results from 638,683 patients (217,883-982,548 samples per analyte, a median of 603,745 test results per analyte, and 10,298,067 test results in total) performed during patient care in 13 German centers. Test results from children with repeat measurements were discarded, and we estimated the distribution of physiological test results using a validated statistical approach (kosmic). RESULTS: We report continuous pediatric reference intervals and percentile charts for alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl-transferase, total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, anorganic phosphate, and magnesium. Reference intervals are provided as tables and fractional polynomial functions (i.e., mathematical equations) that can be integrated into laboratory information systems. Additionally, Z-scores and percentiles enable the normalization of test results by age and sex to facilitate their interpretation across age groups. CONCLUSIONS: The provided reference intervals and percentile charts enable precise assessment of laboratory test results in children from birth to adulthood. Our findings highlight the pronounced dynamics in many biochemical analytes in neonates, which require particular consideration in reference intervals to support clinical decision making most effectively.

Next-generation reference intervals for pediatric hematology.

Background Interpreting hematology analytes in children is challenging due to the extensive changes in hematopoiesis that accompany physiological development and lead to pronounced sex- and age-specific dynamics. Continuous percentile charts from birth to adulthood allow accurate consideration of these dynamics. However, the ethical and practical challenges unique to pediatric reference intervals have restricted the creation of such percentile charts, and limitations in current approaches to laboratory test result displays restrict their use when guiding clinical decisions. Methods We employed an improved data-driven approach to create percentile charts from laboratory data collected during patient care in 10 German centers (9,576,910 samples from 358,292 patients, 412,905-1,278,987 samples per analyte). We demonstrate visualization of hematology test results using percentile charts and z-scores (www.pedref.org/hematology) and assess the potential of percentiles and z-scores to support diagnosis of different hematological diseases. Results We created percentile charts for hemoglobin, hematocrit, red cell indices, red cell count, red cell distribution width, white cell count and platelet count in girls and boys from birth to 18 years of age. Comparison of pediatricians evaluating complex clinical scenarios using percentile charts versus conventional/tabular representations shows that percentile charts can enhance physician assessment in selected example cases. Age-specific percentiles and z-scores, compared with absolute test results, improve the identification of children with blood count abnormalities and the discrimination between different hematological diseases. Conclusions The provided reference intervals enable precise assessment of pediatric hematology test results. Representation of test results using percentiles and z-scores facilitates their interpretation and demonstrates the potential of digital approaches to improve clinical decision-making.

High-Throughput Testing of Urogenital and Extragenital Specimens for Detection of Chlamydia Trachomatis and Neisseria Gonorrhoeae with Cobas® CT/NG.

We compared the analytical and clinical performance of cobas® CT/NG for use on the Cobas® 6800/8800 Systems with the Cobas® 4800 CT/NG Test from urogenital and extragenital specimens in over 12,000 specimens from both male and female subjects in Germany and the United States. The analytical sensitivity was ≤40 EB/ml for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and ≤1 CFU/ml for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). Using clinical specimens, the overall percent agreement with the Cobas® 4800 CT/NG Test was >98.5%. Across urogenital specimens, there were 93 discrepant specimens; 76 (93.8%) of 81 CT discrepant specimens were 6800+/4800- and 10 (83.3%) of 12 NG discrepant specimens were 6800+/4800-. Sequencing verified CT results for 45 (61.6%) of 73 samples positive by 6800 and 1 (20%) of 5 positive by 4800. Similarly, 7 (70.0%) of 10 NG samples positive by 6800 and 1 of 2 positive by 4800 were confirmed by sequencing. Among discrepant extragenital specimens (all 6800+/4800-), 7 (50%) of 14 oropharyngeal and 23 (76.7%) of 30 anorectal CT discordant samples were confirmed as CT positive by sequencing; all 8 anorectal and 20 (90.9%) of 22 oropharyngeal NG discordant results were also confirmed as NG positive. In conclusion, Cobas® CT/NG for use on the Cobas® 6800/8800 Systems provides high-throughput automated solutions for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening programs.