Gabriele Baumann - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Gabriele Baumann

Transplant Infectious Disease

The CMV Symposium in September 2021 was an international conference dedicated to cytomegalovirus ... more The CMV Symposium in September 2021 was an international conference dedicated to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This review provides an overview of the presentations given by the expert faculty, supplemented with educational clinical cases. Topics discussed include CMV epidemiology and diagnosis, the burden of CMV infection and disease, CMV‐specific immunity and management of CMV in transplant settings. Major advances in the prevention and treatment of CMV in the past decade and increased understanding of CMV immunity have led to improved patient outcomes. In the future, management algorithms may be individualized based on the transplant recipient's immune profile, which will mark the start of a new era for patients with CMV. image

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM), 2022

Since the beginning of laboratory medicine, the main focus was to provide high quality analytics.... more Since the beginning of laboratory medicine, the main focus was to provide high quality analytics. Over time the importance of the extra-analytical phases and their contribution to the overall quality became evident. However, as the initial preanalytical processes take place outside of the laboratory and mostly without its supervision, all professions participating in these process steps, from test selection to sample collection and transport, need to engage accordingly. Focusing solely on intra-laboratory processes will not be sufficient to achieve the best possible preanalytical quality. The Working Group for the Preanalytical Phase (WG-PRE) of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) has provided several recommendations, opinion papers and scientific evidence over the past years, aiming to standardize the preanalytical phase across Europe. One of its strategies to reach this goal are educational efforts. As such, the WG-PRE has organized five co...

Clinical Laboratory, 2014

Background: Over the last decade, clinical interest to evaluate human 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25[OH... more Background: Over the last decade, clinical interest to evaluate human 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25[OH]D) serum levels has increased exponentially. In the present study, four chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIA), one radioimmunoassy (RIA), and one high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method were compared and also with the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method in view of 25(OH)D serum level determination. Methods: For the method comparison, blood samples from 133 consecutive patients were prospectively collected. All participants gave written informed consent for their blood samples to be used in this study. They came to the Department of Nuclear Medicine of the Central Hospital Steyr (Austria) for osteodensidometric measurement as part of their preventive medical check-up. Pearson&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman plots, and paired t-tests were calculated. Assay-specific reference ranges were considered using blood samples from persons with normal parathormone, calcium, and total-protein values (n = 97). Results: The highest correlation was between the HPLC and the LC-MS/MS method (r = 0.96). The lowest correlation was between the cobas Vitamin D3 assay (Roche) and any of the evaluated assays (r = 0.46 - 0.63). Bland-Altman plots revealed a big negative mean bias in three assays (cobas Vitamin D3 assay [Roche]: -22.8; DiaSorin LIAISON [25[OH]D total CLIA [Diasorin]: -18.4; Diasorin 25[OH]D125 I RIA [Diasorin]: -23.8 [nmol/L]) and a much smaller positive mean bias in the other assays (ClinRep complete 25[OH]D2/D3 HPLC kit [Recipe]: 2.7; ADVIA Centaur Vitamin D total assay [Siemens]: 8.2; IDS total vitamin D assay [Immunodiagnostic Systems]: 12.1 [nmol/L]) compared to the LC-MS/MS method. Meanwhile, the manufacturer has withdrawn the cobas Vitamin D3 assay from the market. Conclusions: Poor antibody specificity with cross-reactivity to other vitamin D metabolites, incomplete extraction of the 25(OH)D analyte from the vitamin D-binding protein (DBP), and confounding matrix substances such as lipids could be potential reasons for the unacceptable performance of the cobas Vitamin D3 assay (Roche) and also the significant differences in the 25(OH)D determination between various assays. Standardization and harmonization of 25(OH)D measurements are therefore urgently needed. The widespread introduction of well standardized assays in clinical laboratories is the challenge in the next years. (Clin. Lab. 2014;60:1541-1550. DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2014.131114)

Digestion, 2015

Background/Aims: While lactose malabsorption is a well-investigated condition, few epidemiologic ... more Background/Aims: While lactose malabsorption is a well-investigated condition, few epidemiologic data are available for fructose and sorbitol malabsorption. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence rates for primary lactose malabsorption, fructose and sorbitol malabsorption, and carbohydrate-specific small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (cs-SIBO) in an Austrian outpatient center. Methods: In total, 306 adult patients, who were primarily referred with suspected carbohydrate malabsorption by general practitioners to our outpatient clinic, underwent genetic testing (C/T-13910 polymorphism) for primary lactose malabsorption, and a combined hydrogen (H2)/methane (CH4) breath test for fructose (25 g) and sorbitol (12.5 g) malabsorption. Cohen's kappa (κ) was calculated for agreement between positive breath test results and self-reported symptoms during the test. Results: Seventy-eight (25.49%) patients were C/C-13910 homozygotes, indicating primary lactose malabsorption. Th...

Transplantation Proceedings, 2005

One hundred fifty million people suffer from diabetes mellitus worldwide. Modern exogenous insuli... more One hundred fifty million people suffer from diabetes mellitus worldwide. Modern exogenous insulin therapy cannot prevent late complications. Islet cell transplantation could be a sufficient therapeutic option but the shortage of human organs limits this option. The use of xenogeneic porcine islet cells may also be a viable alternative. One way to manage hyperacute rejection is by the protection of xenogeneic cells from the immune system by microencapsulation. In this study sodium cellulose sulfate (NaCS) was evaluated as a material for encapsulation. An insulin-producing cell line (HIT-T15) was established in our laboratory. Glucose-dependent insulin production and cell growth were monitored. Cells were encapsulated with NaCS by Austrianova, Vienna. The insulin production and mitosis rate were examined. Cell growth and insulin production by HIT-T15 cells affected the glucose levels in the nutrient solution. Cell viability and glucose-dependent insulin production were not influenced by NaCS. Encapsulation with NaCS is feasible and it could be shown that the material is permeable to nutrients and metabolic side products. The encapsulated cells are able to detect the glucose concentration in the nutrient solution and to react in a proper way by producing insulin. Encapsulation with NaCS, which is more biocompatible and less immunogenic than other materials, seems to be a promising method for immunoisolation of porcine ␤ cells for xenotransplantation to replace the endocrine pancreas in a physiologic way.

Talanta, Jan 15, 2006

Cyclosporine A is potent immunosuppressive agent characterized by a narrow therapeutic range, int... more Cyclosporine A is potent immunosuppressive agent characterized by a narrow therapeutic range, inter- and intra-individual variability and a lack of correlation between drug dosage and blood levels. In view of these facts, blood levels of CyA should be routinely monitored to assess organ rejection and toxicity. We evaluated CyA as well as its metabolites (AM9, AM19, AMl, and AM4N) in whole blood samples from 117 patients using commercially available immunological assays (AxSYM, EMIT, Dimension) and HPLC. Cross-reactivity of the immunological assays was evaluated using different concentrations of the CyA metabolites (in vitro cross-reactivity) and by statistical analysis of patient data (in vivo cross-reactivity). Cross-reactivity was seen in all immunological assays, with differences in in vitro and in vivo cross-reactivity. The statistical analysis showed a classical correlation between HPLC and AxSYM of r(2)=0.89, HPLC versus EMIT of r(2)=0.93, and HPLC versus Dimension of r(2)=0.9...

Anemia, 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate a laboratory-guided therapeutic algorithm of preoperative a... more The aim of this study was to evaluate a laboratory-guided therapeutic algorithm of preoperative anemia. 335 patients with elective hip or knee arthroplasty were included in this retrospective before-after study. Group I (n= 101) underwent conventional preoperative procedures before algorithm implementation. Group II (n= 234) underwent algorithm-guided preoperative anemia management. A hemoglobin-level of 13 g/dL was the therapeutic cut-off for men and women. Reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)/log ferritin ratio were used in the form of the Thomas plot. Iron deficiency (ID) was substituted with 1000 mg iron intravenous (i.v.) and 10000 international units (I.U.) of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) subcutaneous (s.c.) or i.v., anemia of chronic disease (ACD) (without functional ID) with 40000 I.U. ESA s.c. or i.v and additionally 200 mg iron i.v. Substituted anemic patients in Group II (n=32) showed a distinctly higher preoperative (Hb-...

Gastroenterology Research and Practice, 2014

The aim of this study was to establish a retrospective evaluation and comparison of the hydrogen/... more The aim of this study was to establish a retrospective evaluation and comparison of the hydrogen/methane (H2/CH4) breath test and genetic test (C/T−13910polymorphism) results in lactose malabsorption testing. In total 263 consecutive patients with suspected lactose malabsorption were included in this study. They underwent the H2/CH4breath test following the ingestion of 50 g lactose and were tested for the C/T−13910polymorphism. In total 51 patients (19.4%) had a C/C−13910genotype, indicating primary lactose malabsorption. Only 19 patients (7.2%) also had a positive H2/CH4breath test. All in all 136 patients (51.69%) had a C/T−13910and 76 patients (28.91%) a T/T−13910genotype, indicating lactase persistence. Four patients (1.5%) with the C/T−13910genotype and one patient (0.4%) with the T/T−13910genotype had a positive H2/CH4breath test result, indicating secondary lactose malabsorption. Cohen's Kappa measuring agreement between the two methods was 0.44. Twenty patients (7.6%) w...

Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection, 2011

In the last 150 years infant mortality has decreased continuously. In the middle of the nineteent... more In the last 150 years infant mortality has decreased continuously. In the middle of the nineteenth century, the infant mortality rate was about 160 per 1,000 live births in England, with remarkable differences between largely agricultural counties (rate of 110 per 1,000) and largely industrial counties (rate 163 per 1,000). This rate declined and by the middle of the twentieth century it was about 20–30/1,000 live births [1]. The same situation was apparent in other European regions and the United States [2, 3]. Leading causes of death were atrophy, debility and marasmus; followed by diarrhoea and enteritis; and in third place bronchitis and pneumonia. The association of infant mortality with poverty and unsuitable housing was clear [1, 3]. This situation has not changed, as evidenced by the 2009 World Health Statistics. Globally, an estimated 37 % of deaths among children younger than 5 years occur in the first month of life, most in the first week. Countries making the least progress in reducing infant mortality rates are generally those experiencing high rates of HIV/AIDS, economic hardship or conflict. Disease incidence could be reduced by improved water and sanitation supply. However, because the availability and use of proven interventions at the community level remain low, pneumonia and diarrhoea kills 3.8 million children younger than 5 years annually [4]. Studies analysing infant mortality in the Americas reveal a continuous reduction of infant mortality from 90.34 per 1,000 live births in 1955 to 31.31 in 1995, that is, a reduction of 65 %. Not all countries of the region realised the same reduction. Paraguay, Guyana, Bolivia and Haiti showed a decrease of 41–60 %, while most countries (among others, the United States) saw a reduction between 61 and 80 %. Ten countries had a decrease of more than 80%, with the highest reductions in Cuba (87.65%), Chile (88.33%) and Barbados (93.18%). One of the findings of this study is that social inequalities and disparity in health — two facts closely connected — persist in countries of the Americas Region (regions are designated by the World Health Organisation [WHO]). Government health expenditures in several countries are usually more beneficial for those better off than for the poor, although political will combined with effective public policies could shift the focus of the expenditures towards the poor (as happened in Cuba, Chile and Barbados), thus reducing infants mortality rate as indicator of the general health condition of a population [5].

Labormedizin, 2011

ABSTRACT Zuverlässige Laborwerte hängen nicht nur von einer korrekten Analytik, sondern in besond... more ABSTRACT Zuverlässige Laborwerte hängen nicht nur von einer korrekten Analytik, sondern in besonderem Maße auch von der präanalytischen Phase ab. Diese umfasst die Vorbereitung des Patienten, den richtigen Zeitpunkt der Probennahme, die eindeutige Identifikation der Probe, das richtige Probengefäß und die Blutabnahme selbst. Weiters muss ein adäquater Probentransport und eine geeignete Probenlagerung bis zur möglichst raschen Analyse sichergestellt sein.

DMW - Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift, 2008

This study was undertaken to evaluate the routine use of a new immunological photometer to measur... more This study was undertaken to evaluate the routine use of a new immunological photometer to measure the concentration of HbA1c in whole blood from 155 patients. The basis of the measurement is a latex agglutination reaction in which a monoclonal antibody as epitope recognizes glucose bound to HbA1c. The result is available within 9 min. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) served as control method. The photometer proved to be very precise (all coefficients of variant < 2.5%), and the values obtained agreed well with those by HPLC (y = 0.952x-0.12; r = 0.986; P < 0.001). The reference ranges for the photometrically measured HbA1c values (4.4-5.9%), obtained for 40 patients, agreed well with those by HPLC (4.6-6.2%). Interference study discovered no effect on the measured value by anaemia, polycythaemia or high rheuma factor (n = 31). In 12 patients on dialysis the photometer recorded significantly lower values than HPLC (P < 0.0005). It is possible that in these cases the photometer values are more accurate because the method is not affected by carbamylated haemoglobin. False results were obtained by the photometer in two patients with leucocytosis (79,000 and 216,000/microliters, respectively) due to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Die konnatale Zytomegalievirusinfektion, 2003

Praexistierende humorale Antikorper der Schwangeren gegen CMV konnen im Gegensatz zu anderen Infe... more Praexistierende humorale Antikorper der Schwangeren gegen CMV konnen im Gegensatz zu anderen Infektionen (z.B. Roteln) eine Ubertragung des Virus auf das Kind nicht verhindern. Jedoch wurde immer wieder beschrieben, dass die Symptome beim infizierten Kind von seropositiven Muttern geringer ausgepragt sind als bei infizierten Kindern von primar seronegativen Muttern. Auch diese Hypothese wurde einer genaueren Analyse unterzogen.

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2000

Although cytomegalovirus infection is the most common infection transmitted via the placenta, the... more Although cytomegalovirus infection is the most common infection transmitted via the placenta, there are no guidelines for routine screening to detect children congenitally infected with cytomegalovirus. From 1993 to 1997, maternal serum and cord vein blood of newborns was screened for HCMV-IgM (n = 21,183). Urine was examined for HCMV-excretion during the first postnatal week to prove HCMV infection in children who expressed HCMV-IgM in cord vein blood (n = 13) or who were born to mothers positive for HCMV-IgM in the serum (n = 234), or when both cord vein blood and maternal serum were positive for HCMV-IgM (n = 6). Congenital HCMV infection was detected in 17 newborns. To determine the incidence of congenital HCMV infection, only those mother/child pairs were selected in whom serum and cord vein blood were investigated (n = 5967 mother/child pairs). In this group 13 newborns were infected. The observed incidence for congenital HCMV infection is 0.21%. It is concluded that that this screening programme will detect those children at risk for congenital HCMV infection. These children have to be examined for virus excretion in the urine. Although the observed incidence is only 0.21%, congenital HCMV infection is a problem that can no longer be neglected because of its long-term sequelae.

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1996

In 1917, spirochaetal neurosyphilis was treated successfully with malariotherapy in combination w... more In 1917, spirochaetal neurosyphilis was treated successfully with malariotherapy in combination with salvarsan or bismuth. Malariotherapy for spirochaetal Lyme disease has been discussed, but the mechanism of an antispirochaetal effect remains unclear. We cultured Borrelia burgdorferi at different temperatures, alone and in combination with antibiotics. Our data demonstrate that growth of the strains PKo and ATCC 35210 (B31) was impaired at temperatures of 37 degrees C and inhibited at 39 degrees C and 40 degrees C, respectively. Strain ATCC 35211, however, grew well up to 39 degrees C but did not multiply at 40 degrees C. A bactericidal effect was seen at 41 degrees C for the strains B31 and PKo and at 42 degrees C for all strains. The susceptibility of all strains to penicillin and ceftriaxone was increased up to 16-fold by an elevation of temperature from 36 degrees C to 38 degrees C. These in vitro data suggest that elevated body temperature may be beneficial during antimicrobial treatment of Lyme disease. This may be particularly important in tissues where high concentrations of antibiotics are difficult to achieve.

Life Sciences, 2006

As continuous production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species is a normal metabolic proce... more As continuous production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species is a normal metabolic process, increased metabolism during exercise/ workload should increase free radical generation and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress intensity should then depend on the intensity of metabolic stress effects. Intensity of stress is usually reflected in norepinephrine (NE) levels, which correlate linearly and significantly with changes in blood gases, blood buffer systems, blood electrolytes, blood glucose and lactate [

Journal of Clinical Virology, 2003

Background: Human herpes viruses cause a spectrum of diseases that are usually self-limiting but ... more Background: Human herpes viruses cause a spectrum of diseases that are usually self-limiting but can be reactive during immuno-suppression and may then lead to severe or even life-threatening diseases. The LightCycler technology allows rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) including product analysis within a closed system. This approach has been demonstrated to be suitable for routine diagnostic virus detection. Several LightCycler PCR assays have been established to the detection of human herpes viruses. The assays vary in their detection formats and PCR cycling protocols. So, they cannot be performed within a single LightCycler run. Objecti6es: Development of four LightCycler PCR assays for parallel detection of DNA derived from human cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in a single run. Study design: Primers and hybridization probes were tailored to suit one LightCycler PCR program. LightCycler PCRs were established, detection limits were determined, and clinical samples were evaluated. Results: With quantified herpes virus type specific DNA spiked into cerebrospinal fluid, serum or EDTA plasma the detection limits were found either at 500 or 250 viral DNA copies per ml depending on the virus DNA specific PCR and on the specimen type used. The applicability of the new LightCycler assays for routine molecular testing was evaluated by testing 96 clinical samples. Conclusion: The developed set of LightCycler PCRs permits parallel detection of CMV, EBV, HSV-1, HSV-2, and VZV in a single LightCycler run. The new molecular assays can easily be used to the rapid, simple, and convenient detection of herpes virus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid, serum and EDTA plasma in the routine diagnostic laboratory.

Journal of Clinical Virology, 2002

Background: Congenital human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection is the most common intrauterine vir... more Background: Congenital human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection is the most common intrauterine viral disease in western countries. Little is known about hCMV virus load in various body fluids of congenitally infected children. Objectives: To determine virus load in various body fluids. To assess the impact of hCMV virus load to predict the outcome of congenitally infected newborns and efficacy of antiviral therapy. Study design: Cord vein blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of congenitally hCMV-infected children were investigated and hCMV load was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fourteen of 30 children had clinical symptoms and/or pathological laboratory results and 16 had none of them at birth. Ganciclovir was given to 21 children (10 of them with symptoms, 11 of them without symptoms). Viral load before and after therapy was measured. Results: There was a significant difference between median virus load in cord vein blood (2.3)/10 3 copies per ml) and in urine (4.2)/10 5 copies per ml; P B/0.001) at diagnosis of congenital hCMV infection. At that time, no significant difference of virus load was found between the various groups (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic; with therapy vs. without therapy), neither in serum nor in urine. Comparing median virus load in urine before (3.0)/10 5 copies per ml) and after therapy (2.0)/10 3 copies per ml), a significant decrease was observed (P B/0.001). Virus load in CSF was always found to be less than 400 copies per ml, and only those children with symptoms showed a positive result. Conclusion: At birth, virus load in urine seems to be superior to that in cord vein blood to reflect the situation in the organs precisely. As predicting factor for the risk of developing symptoms, only hCMV detection in the CSF appears to be promising. The significant decrease of virus load in children with therapy may reflect the efficacy of therapy. Studies including a greater number of children are needed.