OBJECTIVE: Serum β-D-glucan has been demonstrated as a reliable, adjunct diagnostic marker for PCP, but its kinetics after PCP treatment are poorly understood. To evaluate the correlation between the levels of β-D-glucan and the clinical response, we investigated the individual transition of serum β-D-glucan levels after the initiation of PCP treatment. METHODS: Retrospective study PATIENTS: Seventeen PCP patients with AIDS who were admitted to our hospital were analyzed. RESULTS: All subjects showed the serum β-D-glucan levels above the cut-off value, and the median level was 224 pg/mL [IQR: 78-597] at the time of PCP diagnosis. There were no correlations between serum β-D-glucan levels and CRP, LDH, or AaDO(2) at room air. Although there was a downward trend in serum β-D-glucan level as PCP treatment was initiated, a significant number of subjects showed a marked increase in the serum β-D-glucan levels despite their evident clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: The serum β-D-glucan level does not reflect the severity and prognosis of PCP infection, and thus it may not be suitable for monitoring the response to treatment.
OBJECTIVE: Serum β-D-glucan has been demonstrated as a reliable, adjunct diagnostic marker for PCP, but its kinetics after PCP treatment are poorly understood. To evaluate the correlation between the levels of β-D-glucan and the clinical response, we investigated the individual transition of serum β-D-glucan levels after the initiation of PCP treatment. METHODS: Retrospective study PATIENTS: Seventeen PCPpatients with AIDS who were admitted to our hospital were analyzed. RESULTS: All subjects showed the serum β-D-glucan levels above the cut-off value, and the median level was 224 pg/mL [IQR: 78-597] at the time of PCP diagnosis. There were no correlations between serum β-D-glucan levels and CRP, LDH, or AaDO(2) at room air. Although there was a downward trend in serum β-D-glucan level as PCP treatment was initiated, a significant number of subjects showed a marked increase in the serum β-D-glucan levels despite their evident clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: The serum β-D-glucan level does not reflect the severity and prognosis of PCP infection, and thus it may not be suitable for monitoring the response to treatment.
Authors: Dionysios Neofytos; Radha Railkar; Kathleen M Mullane; David N Fredricks; Bruno Granwehr; Kieren A Marr; Nikolaos G Almyroudis; Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis; Johan Maertens; Rebecca Fox; Cameron Douglas; Robert Iannone; Eunkyung Kauh; Norah Shire Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-06-24 Impact factor: 3.240