Pharmaceutics Final Flashcards
Diagnostic Tests
- Needed to evaluate health and
1. Diagnose disease in a patient
2. Decide on the most appropriate treatment and,
3. Monitor the effects of treatment
Sensitivity
The fraction of patients who have the disease that is correctly predicted by the test
Sensitivity = TP/(TP + FN)
Specificity
The fraction of patients who do not have the disease that is correctly predicted by the test
Specificity = TN/(TN + FP)
True Positive
Individuals who have the disease that are correctly classified by the test
False Positive
Individuals who do not have the disease that are incorrectly classified by the test
True Negative
Individuals who do not have the disease that are correctly classified by the test
False Negative
Individuals who have the disease that are incorrectly classified by the test
Dichotomous Test
- One of two options
- Ex: Positive vs. Negative
Continuous Test
Range of values with a threshold set for a reference population vs. disease
Continuous Test: Prostate Specific Antigen
-Depending on where we set the threshold, this will determine the number of TP, FP, TN, and FN and therefore the sensitivity and specificity of the test
Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves
X: 100-Specificity (false positive rate)
Y: Sensitivity (true positive rate)
Provides optimal region for high sensitivity and specificity in order to choose a threshold for continuous data
Predictive Values
Positive: PPV = TP/(TP + FP)
-Likelihood that a positive test result will indicate disease
Negative: NPV = TN (TN + FN)
-Likelihood that a negative test result will indicate no disease
These numbers are affected by prevalence of disease
- High prevalence increases PPV, decrease NPV
- Low prevalence decreases PPV, increases NPV
Acute Myocardial Infarction
-Changes in cardiac biomarkers (especially troponin) above the 99th percentile of the upper reference limit, together with evidence of ischemia
Evidence of Ischemia
- Ischemic symptoms
- ECG changes associated with ischemia
- Pathologic Q-waves on ECG
- Imaging tests showing new loss of viable myocardium or new regional wall motion abnormality
Cardiac Troponin Complex
- Cardiac Troponin-I (cTnI) is the inhibitory form
- Troponin-T (cTnT) is the tropomyosin-binding form
- Both are found in skeletal muscle
- AMI causes release of both into the plasma
Principle of Immunoassay (e.g., ELISA)
- Monoclonal antibodies (Ab1) specific for the analyte (Ag) are used to bind the analyte in a plasma or serum sample and extract it for measurement - known as primary antibodies
- Secondary antibodies (Ab2) that are usually polyclonal and carry a label are used to measure the amount of immune complexes formed
Sandwich or Direct Immunoassay
- 96 well plates made of 96 tiny plates
- Primary antibody is stuck to the bottom of the plate
- Add plasma and incubate
- Wash to make sure all that is left is primary antibodies stuck to protein of interest
Abbott AxSYM Assay for cTnI
- Anti-cTnI (mouse monoclonal antibody) coated onto microparticle
- cTnI in serum sticks to antibody
- Anti-TnI (Goat)-AlkPhos (secondary antibody) sticks to certain part of cTnI separate from the primary antibody to form 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate, which fluoresces at 365 nm
Limitations of cTnI Assays
- No primary cTnI reference standard to calibrate different assays - each commercial assay uses their own reference material for calibration
- Definition of “normal” reference limits is unique for each commercial assay and depends on the sensitivity (e.g., high sensitivity assays have different limits)
- Results with one assay are not easily comparable to those using another assay - best to follow changes in cTnI for an individual patient over time
Sensitivity and Specificity of cTnI Assays
- Sensitivity 91.8%
- Specificity 92.4%
- Sensitivity increases from 65% to >90% as time from presentation exceeds 5 hours, but specificity remains >90% at all times
- Sensitivity increases because the longer you wait after someone has MI, the more troponin you have in the body
- Specificity stays the same because the longer you wait, someone who does not have MI, still does not have MI
Kinetics of cTnI Elevation following MI
- Reperfusion of the myocardium by angioplasty or thrombolytic agents causes a more rapid decline in cTnI levels but higher initial values
- cTnI replaced creatinine kinase muscle and brain subunits (CK-MB)
Acute cTnI Elevation in Absence of MI
- Myocardial trauma (e.g., ICD firings, biopsy, cardioversion)
- CHF
- Myocardial surgery
- Renal failure
- Critically ill patients
- Drug toxicity (e.g., CO2 poisoning)
- Myocarditis
- Sepsis (due to TNF release)
- Other conditions
Hypothyroidism
- Deficiency of TH secretion (T3 and T4)
- Occurs in 2-15% of the population
- Primary due to thyroid gland failure
- Central due to pituitary gland dysfunction (low TSH)
Hyperthyroidism
- Elevated TH secretion (T3 or T4)
- Grave’s disease occurs in 0.4% of population
- Primary due to overactive thyroid gland
- Central due to pituitary/hypothalamus dysfunction (high TSH)