MCL

Mayo Medical Laboratories, the global reference laboratory of Mayo Clinic, has changed its name to Mayo Clinic Laboratories.

Effective November 9, 2018, our business name will change from Mayo Collaborative Services, LLC, doing business as (d/b/a) Mayo Medical Laboratories to Mayo Collaborative Services, LLC, d/b/a Mayo Clinic Laboratories. The change to Mayo Clinic Laboratories will more accurately reflect the benefit we are able to bring to our clients every day.

Necrotizing autoimmune myopathy (NAM) is a serious but rare muscle disease strongly associated with autoantibodies to either the protein signal recognition particle (SRP) or the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR). NAM typically manifests with subacute proximal limb muscle weakness and persistently elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) concentrations, but slower onsets can occur and complicate diagnosis.

Now in its second year of a five-year initiative to better understand and detect arboviruses in Belize, the IMPACTS (Integrated Mayo Clinic Program for Arbovirus Community health education Training and Surveillance) project has expanded its focus to include tick-borne infections in addition to mosquito-borne diseases, like Zika and dengue. IMPACTS is a four-tiered project that is a joint effort with Mayo Clinic, the University of Notre Dame’s Eck Institute for Global Health, and the Belize Ministry of Health.

Chromium and cobalt blood tests are used to monitor exposure to these elements. Both of these elements are naturally occurring and widely distributed in the environment. Previously, serum samples were collected and used to monitor patients with metal-on-metal implants, but serum can easily be contaminated during the harvesting and separation of the serum from the cellular blood components causing incorrect results. By using the new EDTA anticoagulated whole-blood test, which is collected in a trace element tube instead of using serum, the risk of contamination is significantly reduced.

In September 2018, Mayo Medical Laboratories announced two new tests along with numerous reference value changes, obsolete tests, and algorithm changes.

WuXi Diagnostics, a joint venture between WuXi AppTec Group and Mayo Clinic, recently received the 2018 MedTech Insight Award for the Best Alliance.

In August 2018, Mayo Medical Laboratories announced one new test along with numerous reference value changes, obsolete tests, and algorithm changes.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have revolutionized MRIs by increasing the clinical utility and detection sensitivity of these exams. GBCAs also contain gadolinium, a rare earth metal with unique chemical properties. This article discusses the recent discovery that small amounts of gadolinium remain in human brain tissue following intravenous administration of GBCAs.

In this month’s “Hot Topic,” Brad Karon, M.D., Ph.D., describes how pseudohyperkalemia has many causes, from collection techniques, processing, and even transport. This presentation focuses on the various preanalytic and analytic causes of pseudohyperkalemia and what you as a phlebotomist can do to prevent it.

Many patients may have flare-ups of their disease, or they may stop responding to treatment. In these situations, the clinician may choose to increase the dose administered or recommend more frequent injections. One cause of decreased response to treatment is the appearance of anti-drug antibodies or “immunogenicity.”

Due to the Labor Day holiday, observed Monday, September 3, in the U.S., Mayo Medical Laboratories' specimen pickup and delivery schedules will be altered. To ensure that your specimen vitality and turnaround time are not affected, plan ahead, and note that no pickups or deliveries will be made on September 3 by our couriers, FedEx, or UPS.

This "Phlebotomy" webinar will provide an update of litigation trends affecting phlebotomists.