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Objectives: We have contributed to the Design Validation Protocol of the new Abbott AxSYM Testosterone assay with a study on reference values and methods comparison. Design and methods: For reference values a population of 45 women and 30 men was tested. In methods comparison, 132 samples for the AxSYM vs. ACS-180, and 30 for the AxSYM vs. Elecsys were used. Pearson and intraclass concordance coefficients and Passing-Bablock test were performed for overall group, men and women. Results: Reference values were 0.9 ‐3.1 (females) and 1.0 ‐30.2 nmol/L (males). Globally, a good agreement between methods in both the AxSYM vs. ACS-180 (slope: 0.88, y-intercept: 0.67, r 5 0.961) and the AxSYM vs. Elecsys (slope: 1.08, y-intercept: 0.31, r 5 0.935) studies was found. Slightly worse results were observed for women. Conclusions: The reference range of testosterone by the AxSYM system matches with those published for other methods. An acceptable agreement between the AxSYM Testosterone assay and both a classical (ACS-180) and a more recent (Elecsys) methodology was observed. Copyright © 2000 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists

In 2005, renal replace treatment (dialysis and transplant) was necessary for about 40,000 people, without being known the number accurate and either their basic characteristics, such as: time in treatment, modality or treatment changes. The presented data cover the 76% of the Spanish population and are the result of the cooperation among technicians of registries, nephrologists and transplant coordinations. 4,125 people started RRT in 2005, the total estimated acceptance rate for renal replacement therapy in adults in Spain was 126 pmp and regarding other European countries it locates us in an intermediate area. The incidence rate seems to keep stable in the last years although there were some differences among communities (from 104 pmp in Castile and Leon to 186 pmp in Canary Islands). Diabetes Mellitus is the most diagnosed cause of renal failure in 2005, more than 20% of patients, followed by vascular diseases. The estimated prevalence of renal replacement therapy in Spain at the end of 2005 was 903 pmp, with important variations among communities (from 806 pmp in Cantabria to 1056 pmp in Valencia Region). The 47% of prevalent RRT patients had a functioning transplant. Mortality on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis was 13.7% and 10.8% respectively. Mortality on transplant was 1.3%, one of the lowest values registered so far. Mortality on renal replacement therapy was around 5% among patients from 45 to 64 years, 11% between 65 and 74 years and 19% among the patients older than 75 years.

Automated capillary zone electrophoresis (e.g., on the Paragon 2000 CZE, Beckman Instruments) is an alternative to conventional electrophoretic methods for the separation of serum proteins (1)(2)(3). The technique uses ultraviolet (UV) detection at 214 nm for direct quantification of peptide bonds, whereas conventional methods detect the protein fractions by staining with various reagents. CZE has the advantage of improved precision and a faster turnaround (4). Recent reports indicate, however, that the Paragon CZE 2000 masks deficiencies of α1-antitrypsin (5) and that some radio-opaque agents simulate a monoclonal component in the α2-globulin fraction in the CZE electropherogram (6)(7). We encountered an interference from the contrast medium Omnitrast®, which produced an unexpected peak in the α2-zone of the CZE electropherogram. We have now investigated the effect of 12 iodinated radio-opaque media (commercially available in Spain) on instrumentation (Paragon CZE 2000) operated as described by Bossuyt et al. (6). When we used the desalting method described …

Introduccion La actividad en el programa de donacion durante 2006 ha supuesto un mayor numero de donaciones en Castilla y Leon que en anos anteriores, con un aumento en la actividad trasplantadora en el programa de trasplante renal, con resultados equiparables a los de otras comunidades. A continuacion detallaremos las caracteristicas de los donantes renales. Resultados La tasa de donantes de Castilla y Leon en 2006 ha sido de 36,43 pmp, con un total de 92 donantes, tasa por encima de la media nacional, de los que el 84 % fueron multiorganicos; el 11 %, hepaticos, y el 5 %, renales. Esta tasa ha contribuido con un aumento en el numero de extracciones renales, con 165 rinones, de los que el 28 % no fueron validos; los motivos de no utilizarlos fueron los siguientes: el 25 %, problemas anatomicos; el 21 %, neoplasias, el 17 %, arteriosclerosis; el 15 % AP. Se enviaron 36 rinones fuera de la comunidad, por motivos de edad, de los que se implanto el 66 %. La media de edad de los donantes renales fue de 45,39 anos. El 49 % de los rinones procedian de donantes con edad comprendida entre 45 y 65 anos y el 39 %, entre 20 y 45 anos. En cuanto al sexo, el 45 % eran varones y el 55 %, mujeres. El grupo sanguineo: el 46 % A, el 37 % 0, el 5 % AB y el 12 % B. La causa de muerte del donante renal fue: el 60 % por ACVA, el 18 % por trafico, el 12 % por traumatismo craneoencefalico no debido a trafico, el 4 % por edema cerebral y el 6 % por otras causas. Se realizaron 96 trasplantes renales en Castilla y Leon (38,23 pmp), y sus receptores tienen una media de edad de 49,9 anos, con predominio de varones (66 %). Conclusiones La mejora continua y el trabajo desarrollado por los profesionales relacionados con la donacion y el trasplante, en especial los coordinadores hospitalarios, asi como la generosidad de las familias, hacen que se consolide ano tras ano nuestro programa de donacion y trasplante renal en la comunidad.