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Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is a routine analysis in the daily practice of a medical biology laboratory. This study aimed to analyze the different electrophoretic profiles seen in our current practice. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 410 serum samples collected during the routine analyses in the Laboratory of Biochemistry at the University Hospital Mohammed VI in Oujda. Serum protein electrophoresis was performed using automated instrument CAPILLARYS 2 FLEX-PIERCING, SEBIA. 241 sera from women and 169 sera from men were collected. Patients were aged between 1-91 years, with an average age of 49 years; 19.5% of SPEs were normal, hypoalbuminemia was found in 34% of cases, chronic inflammatory syndrome in 19.5% of cases, nephrotic syndrome in 2% of cases, 5.8% of our patients had betagamma block, hypogammaglobulinemia was found in 8.5% of cases and 29 monoclonal peaks were noted, bisalbuminemia was found in 2 patients. Out of 410 collections: 92 immunofixations were performed, of whom 23 were positive (showing monoclonal gammopathy). This study highlights the variability in prescribing serum protein electrophoresis as well as the importance of clinical data for a better interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytobacteriological examination of urine (CBEU) is the most prescribed test in a microbiology laboratory. The objectives of this work were to present our experience in carrying out the CBEU and to share one of the means that we consider very useful in the daily practice of this crucial analysis. This is a 28-month prospective study (March 2016 to June 2018). The CBEU was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the medical microbiology referential (REMIC). Antibiotic susceptibility was studied in accordance with the recommendations of the l'European committee on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (EUCAST). Cultures were positive for urinary tract infection in 5.09% (n=769) of cases and for colonization in 4.88% (n=737) of cases. E. coli alone accounted for 57.8% (n=850) of all isolates. In our experience, the display of the interpretation flowchart at the bench level, as well as the availability of clinical information and cytology results when examining urocultures, allows our technicians to decide, independently, what action to take for each CBEU according to the particular context of the patient for whom it has been prescribed. Similarly, this flowchart allows the unique microbiologist in the laboratory to contextually interpret each CBEU.

Parathormone (PTH) is the main hormone of phosphocalcic homeostasis. It is synthesized and secreted by the parathyroid glands. PTH has become a routine test in the medical biology laboratory. However, its measurement presents analytical difficulties with the various marketed kits. The aim of this work is to present the results of a comparative study between the PTH measurment on Abbott architect ci8200 and on Roche's Cobas e411 automaton. It is a prospective study carried out for 252 hospitalized patients in the various departments of the University Hospital Center Mohammed VI of Oujda. The "intact" PTH tests were performed on two automata: Abbott Architect ci8200 and Roche Cobas e411. The first uses chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. The second uses electrochemiluminiscence sandwich enzyme immunoassay. The agreement of the results between the different techniques was evaluated using the Bland-Altman difference diagram and the Passing-Bablok and Deming regression line (MedCalc software version 14.8.1.0 ® ). By analyzing the diagram of Bland-Altman, we note that the average bias between both methods is of the order of 193.9 pg/mL. As for the equation of the right of Passing-Bablok, it is: Y(Architect) = 3.11 X (Cobas) - 12.26. In conclusion, our study shows a great discrepancy between the results of the PTH assay on the Architect ci8200 versus the Cobas e411, hence the biologist's indisputable role in the control and evaluation of the kits marketed through the various validation tests.