Study on impact of robotic-assisted orthopaedic industrial noise (SIREN).

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate noise exposure to the operating room staff consisting of the surgeon, assistant, anaesthetist and Mako Product Specialist (MPS) during Mako robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). We aimed to determine whether employees were exposed to noise at or above a lower exposure action value (LEAV) set out by the Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), UK. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively recorded intra-operative noise levels in Mako robotic-arm assisted TKA and THA over a period of two months using the MicW i436 connected to an iOS device (Apple), using the Sound Level Meter App (iOS) by the National Institute for Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH). Data obtained was then used to calculate "worst case" daily exposure value to assess if sound levels were compliant with UK guidelines. Comparison between operating room staff groups was performed with ANOVA testing. RESULTS: A total of 19 TKA and 11 THA operations were recorded. During TKA, for the primary surgeon and the assistant, the equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq) was over 80 dB, exceeding the LEAV set out by the Noise at Work Regulations by HSE. During THA, the average LAeq and peak sound pressure levels did not exceed the LEAV. The calculated daily exposure for the primary surgeon in TKA was 82 dB. A Tukey post hoc test revealed that LAeq was statistically significantly lower in the anaesthetist and MPS (p < .001) compared to the primary surgeon and assistant in both TKA and THA. CONCLUSIONS: Operating room staff, particularly the primary surgeon and assistant are exposed to significant levels of noise during Mako robotic-arm assisted TKA and THA. Formal assessments should be performed to further assess the risk of noise induced hearing loss in robotic-arm assisted arthroplasty.

A European multicenter study on the analytical performance of the VERIS HBV assay.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B viral load monitoring is an essential part of managing patients with chronic Hepatits B infection. Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HBV Assay for use on the fully automated Beckman Coulter DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System.1 OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the analytical performance of the VERIS HBV Assay at multiple European virology laboratories. STUDY DESIGN: Precision, analytical sensitivity, negative sample performance, linearity and performance with major HBV genotypes/subtypes for the VERIS HBV Assay was evaluated. RESULTS: Precision showed an SD of 0.15 log10 IU/mL or less for each level tested. Analytical sensitivity determined by probit analysis was between 6.8-8.0 IU/mL. Clinical specificity on 90 unique patient samples was 100.0%. Performance with 754 negative samples demonstrated 100.0% not detected results, and a carryover study showed no cross contamination. Linearity using clinical samples was shown from 1.23-8.23 log10 IU/mL and the assay detected and showed linearity with major HBV genotypes/subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: The VERIS HBV Assay demonstrated comparable analytical performance to other currently marketed assays for HBV DNA monitoring.

A European multicientre study on the comparison of HBV viral loads between VERIS HBV assay and Roche COBAS® TAQMAN® HBV test, Abbott RealTime HBV assay, Siemens VERSANT HBV assay, and Qiagen artus HBV RG kit.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B viral load testing is essential to treatment and monitoring decisions in patients with chronic Hepatitis B. Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HBV Assay (Veris) for use on the fully automated DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System.1 OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical performance of the Veris HBV Assay at multiple EU laboratories STUDY DESIGN: Method comparison was performed with a total of 344 plasma specimens from HBV infected patients tested with Veris and COBAS® TaqMan® HBV Test (Cobas), 207 specimens tested with Veris and RealTime HBV Assay (RealTime), 86 specimens tested with Veris and VERSANT® HBV Assay (Versant), and 74 specimens tested with Veris and artus® HBV RG PCR kit (artus). RESULTS: Bland-Altman analysis showed average bias of -0.46 log10 IU/mL between Veris and Cobas, -0.46 log10IU/mL between Veris and RealTime, -0.36 log10IU/mL between Veris and Versant, and -0.12 log10IU/mL between Veris and artus. Bias was consistent across the assay range. Patient monitoring results using Veris demonstrated similar viral load trends over time to Cobas, RealTime, and artus. CONCLUSIONS: The VERIS HBV Assay demonstrated comparable clinical performance, with varying degrees of negative bias, compared to other currently marketed assays for HBV DNA monitoring. This negative bias should be taken into consideration if switching monitoring methods to Veris.

A European multicientre study on the comparison of HIV-1 viral loads between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and Roche COBAS® TAQMAN® HIV-1 test, Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and Siemens VERSANT HIV-1 Assay.

BACKGROUND: Viral load monitoring is essential for patients under treatment for HIV. Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the novel, automated DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostics System.¥ OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the clinical performance of the new quantitative VERIS HIV-1 Assay at multiple EU laboratories. STUDY DESIGN: Method comparison with the VERIS HIV-1 Assay was performed with 415 specimens at 5 sites tested with COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® HIV-1 Test, v2.0, 169 specimens at 3 sites tested with RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and 202 specimens from 2 sites tested with VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Patient monitoring sample results from 4 sites were also compared. RESULTS: Bland-Altman analysis showed the average bias between VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay to be 0.28, 0.39, and 0.61 log10 cp/mL, respectively. Bias at low end levels below 1000cp/mL showed predicted bias to be <0.3 log10 cp/mL for VERIS HIV-1 Assay versus COBAS HIV-1 Test and RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and <0.5 log10cp/mL versus VERSANT HIV-1 Assay. Analysis on 174 specimens tested with the 0.175mL volume VERIS HIV-1 Assay and COBAS HIV-1 Test showed average bias of 0.39 log10cp/mL. Patient monitoring results using VERIS HIV-1 Assay demonstrated similar viral load trends over time to all comparators. CONCLUSIONS: The VERIS HIV-1 Assay for use on the DxN VERIS System demonstrated comparable clinical performance to COBAS® HIV-1 Test, RealTime HIV-1 Assay, and VERSANT HIV-1 Assay.

European Multicenter Study on Analytical Performance of Veris HIV-1 Assay.

The analytical performance of the Veris HIV-1 assay for use on the new, fully automated Beckman Coulter DxN Veris molecular diagnostics system was evaluated at 10 European virology laboratories. The precision, analytical sensitivity, performance with negative samples, linearity, and performance with HIV-1 groups/subtypes were evaluated. The precision for the 1-ml assay showed a standard deviation (SD) of 0.14 log10 copies/ml or less and a coefficient of variation (CV) of ≤6.1% for each level tested. The 0.175-ml assay showed an SD of 0.17 log10 copies/ml or less and a CV of ≤5.2% for each level tested. The analytical sensitivities determined by probit analysis were 19.3 copies/ml for the 1-ml assay and 126 copies/ml for the 0.175-ml assay. The performance with 1,357 negative samples demonstrated 99.2% with not detected results. Linearity using patient samples was shown from 1.54 to 6.93 log10 copies/ml. The assay performed well, detecting and showing linearity with all HIV-1 genotypes tested. The Veris HIV-1 assay demonstrated analytical performance comparable to that of currently marketed HIV-1 assays. (DxN Veris products are Conformité Européenne [CE]-marked in vitro diagnostic products. The DxN Veris product line has not been submitted to the U.S. FDA and is not available in the U.S. market. The DxN Veris molecular diagnostics system is also known as the Veris MDx molecular diagnostics system and the Veris MDx system.).

A European multicentre study on the comparison of HCV viral loads between VERIS HCV assay and COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Test and RealTime HCV Assay.

BACKGROUND: Beckman Coulter has developed the VERIS HCV Assay for use on the new fully automated DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostic System¥ for HCV viral load monitoring. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the clinical performance of the new quantitative VERIS HCV Assay. STUDY DESIGN: Comparison was performed on 279 plasma specimens from HCV infected patients tested with the VERIS HCV Assay and COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® Taqman® HCV Test and 369 specimens tested with the VERIS HCV Assay and RealTime HCV Assay. Patient monitoring sample results from four time points were also compared. RESULTS: The average bias between the VERIS HCV Assay and the COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® Taqman® HCV Test was 0.04 log10IU/mL, while between the VERIS HCV Assay and the RealTime HCV Assay average bias was 0.21 log10IU/mL. Bias, however, was not consistent across the measuring range. Analysis at the lower end of quantification levels 50, 100, and 1000IU/mL showed a predicted bias for VERIS HCV Assay versus COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® Taqman® HCV Test between -0.42 and -0.22 log10IU/mL and for VERIS HCV Assay versus RealTime HCV Assay between 0.00 and 0.13 log10IU/mL. Patient monitoring of HCV viral load over time demonstrated similar levels between VERIS HCV Assay results and COBAS® Ampliprep/COBAS® Taqman® HCV Test (52 samples from 13 patients) and RealTime HCV Assay (112 samples from 28 patients). CONCLUSIONS: VERIS HCV Assay for use on the DxN VERIS Molecular Diagnostic System represents a reliable new tool for easy sample to result HCV RNA viral load monitoring.

European Multicenter Study on Analytical Performance of DxN Veris System HCV Assay.

The analytical performance of the Veris HCV Assay for use on the new and fully automated Beckman Coulter DxN Veris Molecular Diagnostics System (DxN Veris System) was evaluated at 10 European virology laboratories. Precision, analytical sensitivity, specificity, and performance with negative samples, linearity, and performance with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes were evaluated. Precision for all sites showed a standard deviation (SD) of 0.22 log10 IU/ml or lower for each level tested. Analytical sensitivity determined by probit analysis was between 6.2 and 9.0 IU/ml. Specificity on 94 unique patient samples was 100%, and performance with 1,089 negative samples demonstrated 100% not-detected results. Linearity using patient samples was shown from 1.34 to 6.94 log10 IU/ml. The assay demonstrated linearity upon dilution with all HCV genotypes. The Veris HCV Assay demonstrated an analytical performance comparable to that of currently marketed HCV assays when tested across multiple European sites.