Diagnostic accuracy of C-reactive protein for bacterial infections in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A meta-analysis

Objective:The clinical diagnostic accuracy of C-reactive protein(CRP)for bacterial infections in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)is still controversial.This study evaluated its accuracy through Meta-analysis.Methods:Studies on the diagnostic value of CRP for bacterial infections in AECOPD were searched form Web of Science,PubMed,Cochrane library,EMBASE,WANFANG DATA,CNKI and China Biology Medicine disc.The included studies were evaluated according to QUADAS-2 assessment tool.Stata 12.0 software was used for meta analyses to summarize the sensitivity and the specificity of the included studies,and the heterogeneity test was conducted.The symmetric receiver operating characteristic curves(SROC)was drawn and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated,and the funnel plot was drawn to determine publication bias.Results:664 studies were initially identified,20 of which met the inclusion criteria(9 in English and 11 in Chinese).Meta-analysis results showed that the summary sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diagnosing bacterial infections in AECOPD were 0.84,95%CI(0.77-0.90)and 0.76,95%CI(0.67-0.82),respectively.The AUC of SROC was 0.87,95%CI(0.83-0.89).Conclusion:CRP has high accuracy,sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing AECOPD bacterial infections from non-bacterial infection.

C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,interleukin-6,vascular endothelial growth factor and oxidative metabolites in diagnosis of infection and staging in patients with gastric cancer

AIM:The current study was to determine the serum/pLasma levels of VEGF,IL-6,malondialdehyde (MDA),nitric oxide (NO),PCT and CRP in gastric carcinoma and correlation with the stages of the disease and accompanying infection. METHODS:We examined the levels of serum VEGF,IL-6, PCT,CRP and plasma MDA,NO in 42 preoperative gastric cancer patients and 23 healthy subjects.There were infection anamneses that had no definite origin in 19 cancer patients. RESULTS:The VEGF levels (mean±SD; pg/mL) were 478.05±178.29 and 473.85±131.24 in gastric cancer patients with and without infection,respectively,and these values were not significantly different (P>0.05).The levels of VEGF, CRP,PCT,It-6,MDA and NO in cancer patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls and the levels of CRP,PCT,It-6,MDA and NO were statistically increased in infection group when compared with non- infection group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION:Although serum VEGF concentrations were increased in gastric cancer,this increase might not be related to infection.CRP,PCT,IL-6,MDA and NO have obvious drawbacks in the diagnosis of infections in cancer patients. These markers may not help to identify infections in the primary evaluation of cancer patients and hence to avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatments as well as hospitalization. According to the results of this study,IL-6,MDA,NO and especially VEGF can be used as useful parameters to diagnose and grade gastric cancer.

C-reactive protein and radiographic findings of lower respiratory tract infection in infants

AIM To evaluate the association between C-reactive protein(CRP) and radiological evidence of lower respiratory tract infection(LRTI) in infants.METHODS All patients aged less than 4 years who presented with suspected lower respiratory tract infection,who received a peri-presentation chest radiograph and CRP blood measurement over an 18-mo period were included in the study.Age,gender,source of referral,CRP,white cell count,neutrophil count along with the patients' symptoms and radiologist's report were recorded.RESULTS Three hundred and eleven patients met the inclusioncriteria.Abnormal chest radiographs were more common in patients with elevated CRP levels(P < 0.01).Radiologic signs of LRTI were identified in 73.7% of chest radiographs when a patient had a CRP level between 50-99 mg/L.CRP levels were a better predictor of positive chest radiograph findings for those aged greater than I year compared to those 1 year or less.CONCLUSION CRP may be used in patients with suspected LRTI diagnosis to select those who are likely to have positive findings on chest radiograph,thus reducing unnecessary chest radiographs.

Diagnostic value of serum Interleukin-6 combined with synovial IL-6 and C-reactive protein for prosthesis joint infection in patients after joint arthroplasty

Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of serum Interleukin-6(IL-6)combined with synovial IL-6 and C-reactive protein for prosthesis joint infection(PJI)in patients after joint arthroplasty.Methods:A total of 253 patients undergoing revision surgery after the first total hip and total knee arthroplasty in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College from January 2018 to April 2020 were recruited as the study object.The patients were divided into the PJI group(n=85)and non-PJI group(n=168)according to whether there was PJI,and the baseline characteristics and the laboratory indexe were collected and compared between the two groups.the factors associated with PJI in patients after joint arthroplasty were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression model.And the diagnostic value of each marker for PJI in patients after joint arthroplasty was evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)curve.Results:The incidence of PJI in this study was 33.6%.Compared with the non-PJI group,the patients in the PJI group had more diabetes mellitus and shorter prosthesis duration(P<0.05).The levels of serum C-reactive protein(CRP),serum interleukin-6(IL-6),synovial IL-6,synovial CRP,synovial leukocyte,synovial neutrophil and ESR in the PJI group were higher than those in non-PJI group,and the level of synovial lymphocyte was lower,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes mellitus(OR=1.706,95%CI:1.02~2.376,P=0.037),prosthesis duration(OR=0.781,95%CI:0.690~0.884,P<0.001),serum IL-6(OR=1.008,95%CI:1.004~1.012,P=0.046),synovial IL-6(OR=1.004,95%CI:1.002~1.006,P=0.011)and synovial CRP(OR=1.481,95%CI:1.010~2.170,P=0.044)were independently related to PJI in patients after joint arthroplasty.ROC curve analysis showed that the area under ROC curve(AUC)of serum IL-6 combined with synovial IL-6 and CRP for diagnose PJI in patients after joint arthroplasty was significantly greater than each marker(0.941 vs 0.760,Z=6.333,P<0.001;0.941 vs 0.743,Z=7.189,P<0.001;0.941 vs 0.785,Z=4.999,P=0.006).Conclusion:Serum IL-6,synovial IL-6 and CRP were independently related to PJI in patients after joint arthroplasty.They all had some diagnostic value,and serum IL-6 combined with synovial IL-6 and CRP had higher capability to diagnose PJI in patients after joint arthroplasty than each marker alone.

Salivary C-reactive protein and mean platelet volume as possible diagnostic markers for late-onset neonatal pneumonia

BACKGROUND Neonatal sepsis,a formidable threat to newborns,is a leading cause of neonatal mortality,with late-onset sepsis manifesting after 72 hours post-birth being particularly concerning.Pneumonia,a prevalent sepsis presentation,poses a significant risk,especially during the neonatal phase when lung defenses are compromised.Accurate diagnosis of pneumonia is imperative for timely and effective interventions.Saliva,a minimally invasive diagnostic medium,holds great promise for evaluating infections,especially in infants.AIM To investigate the potential of serum C-reactive protein(CRP),salivary CRP(sCRP),and mean platelet volume(MPV)as diagnostic markers for late-onset neonatal pneumonia(LONP).METHODS Eighty full-term neonates were systematically examined,considering anthropometric measurements,clinical manifestations,radiology findings,and essential biomarkers,including serum CRP,sCRP,and MPV.RESULTS The study reveals noteworthy distinctions in serum CRP levels,MPV,and the serum CRP/MPV ratio between neonates with LONP and healthy controls.MPV exhibited a robust discriminatory ability[area under the curve(AUC)=0.87]with high sensitivity and specificity at a cutoff value of>8.8.Correlations between serum CRP,sCRP,and MPV were also identified.Notably,sCRP demonstrated excellent predictive value for serum CRP levels(AUC=0.89),underscoring its potential as a diagnostic tool.CONCLUSION This study underscores the diagnostic promise of salivary and serum biomarkers,specifically MPV and CRP,in identifying and predicting LONP among neonates.These findings advocate for further research to validate their clinical utility in larger neonatal cohorts.

Significance of Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Combined with Serum Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein in Evaluation of Elderly Asthma

Bronchial asthma is a common chronic airway inflammatory disease. Asthma is associated with high mortality, especially in the elderly patients. Repeated exacerbations cause disease progression. Therefore, identifying the onset of acute elderly asthma as soon as possible and giving the effective treatment is crucial to improve the prognosis. This study was to investigate the significance of fractional exhaled nitric oxide （FeNO） combined with serum procalcitonin （PCT） and C-reactive protein （CRP） in the evaluation of elderly asthma. A total of 120 elderly patients with an acute attack of asthma from July, 2010 to May, 2012 were studied. On presentation, FeNO, serum PCT and CRP concentrations were measured and sputum culture was also performed. The elderly patients were re-evaluated when they had returned to their stable clinical state. The elderly patients were classified into two groups： positive bac- terial culture group （A） and negative bacterial culture group （B）. The results showed that： （1） In patients with an acute exacerbation of asthma, 48 （40%） patients had positive sputum bacterial culture and 72 （60%） had negative sputum bacterial culture. （2） The levels of FeNO in patients with acute exacerbation of asthma were significantly higher than in those with no acute exacerbation state （63.8±24.6 vs. 19±6.5 ppb, P〈0.05）. There was no significant difference in FeNO between group A and group B （P〉0.05）. （3） The levels of PCT and CRP in group A patients with an acute exacerbation of asthma were significantly higher （P〈0.05） than in group B （for PCT： 27.46±9.32 vs. 7.85±3.52 ng/mL; for CRP： 51.25±11.46 vs. 17.11±5.87 mg/L, respectively）. When they had returned to stable clinical state, the levels of PCT and CRP in group A were decreased significantly （P〈0.05）, and those in group B had no significant change （P〉0.05） when compared with the exacerbation group. There were no significant differences in the levels of PCT and CRP between the two groups in non-acute exacerbation state （/9〉0.05）. These results suggest that the increase in FeNO indicates the acute exacerbation of asthma, and the elevation of serum PCT and CRP levels may be associated with bacterial infection.

C-Reactive protein role in assessing COVID-19 deceased geriatrics and survivors of severe and critical illness

Numerous risk variables,including age,medical co-morbidities,and deranged inflammatory response,lead to higher mortality in a senior population with coronavirus disease 2019.C-reactive protein(CRP),an acute phase inflammatory protein secreted by the liver,was tested in the elderly,showing a diagnostic and prognostic role.However,recent research has shed light on new applications for CRP in geriatrics.It was used as a follow-up marker and as a therapeutic target.Early and accurate identification of patients’ risks may mitigate the devastation of the invading virus in older cases and permit the implementation of a quick treatment plan for those most likely to deteriorate.

Application of myxovirus resistance protein A in the etiological diagnosis of infections in adults

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate antibiotic treatment for patients with viral infections has led to a surge in antimicrobial resistance, increasing mortality and healthcare costs. Viral and bacterial infections are often difficult to distinguish. Myxovirus resistance protein A(MxA), an essential antiviral factor induced by interferon after viral infection, holds promise for distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections. This study aimed to determine the ability of Mx A to distinguish viral from bacterial infections.METHODS: We quantified MxA in 121 infected patients via dry immunofluorescence chromatography. The Kruskal-Wallis test and receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve analysis were used to determine the diagnostic value of Mx A, either alone or in combination with C-reactive protein(CRP) or procalcitonin(PCT), in patients with viral, bacterial, or co-infections.RESULTS: The value of MxA(ng/mL) was significantly higher in patients with viral infections than in those with bacterial and co-infections(82.3 [24.5–182.9] vs. 16.4 [10.8–26.5], P<0.0001)(82.3 [24.5–182.9] vs. 28.5 [10.2–106.8], P=0.0237). The area under the curve(AUC) of the ROC curve for distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections was 0.799(95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.696–0.903), with a sensitivity of 68.9%(95% CI 54.3%–80.5%) and specificity of 90.0%(95% CI 74.4%–96.5%) at the threshold of 50.3 ng/mL. Combining the MxA level with the CRP or PCT level improved its ability. MxA expression was low in cytomegalovirus(15.8 [9.6–47.6] ng/mL) and Epstein-Barr virus(12.9 [8.5–21.0] ng/mL) infections.CONCLUSION: Our study showed the diagnostic efficacy of Mx A in distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections, with further enhancement when it was combined with CRP or PCT. Moreover, EpsteinBarr virus and human cytomegalovirus infections did not elicit elevated Mx A expression.

Synovial Fluid C-reactive Protein as a Diagnostic Marker for Periprosthetic Joint Infection： A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background： Periprosthetic joint infection （PJI） is the main cause of failure following total joint arthroplasty. Until now, the diagnosis of PJI is still confronted with technical limitations, and the question of whether synovial fluid biomarker, C-reactive protein （CRP）, can provide high value in the diagnosis of PJl remains unanswered and, therefore, was the aim of the study. Methods： First, we conducted a systematic review on CRP in the diagnosis of PJI by searching online databases using keywords such as ＂periprosthetic joint infection＂, ＂synovial fluid＂, and ＂C-reactive protein＂. Eligible studies providing sufficient data to construct 2 × 2 contingency tables were then selected based on the list of criteria and the quality of included studies was assessed subsequently. Finally, the reported sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio （DOR）, summary receiver operating characteristic （SROC） curve, and the area under the SROC （AUSROC） were pooled together and used to evaluate overall diagnostic performance. Results： Seven studies were included in our review, six of which comprising a total of 456 participants were further investigated in our meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and DOR were 0.92 （95% confidence interval [CI]： 0.86-0.96）, 0.90 （95% CI： 0.87-0.93）, and 101.40 （95% CI： 48.07-213.93）, respectively. The AUSROC was 0.9663 （standard error, 0.0113）. Conclusions： Synovial fluid CRP is a good biomarker for the diagnosis of PJI with high sensitivity and specificity.

Combination of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen is useful for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection in patients with inflammatory diseases

Background:The screening of periprosthetic joint infection(PJI)in patients with inflammatory diseases before revision arthroplasty remains uncertain.Serum C-reactive protein(CRP),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),plasma fbrinogen(FIB),monocyte/lymphocyte ratio,and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR)can help screening PJI,but their values in patients with infammatory diseases have not been determined.Methods:Patients with inflammatory diseases who underwent revision hip or knee arthroplasty at West China Hospital,Sichuan University,from January 2008 to September 2020 were divided into infected and non-infected groups based on the 2013 International Consensus Meeting criteria.Sensitivity and specificity of the tested biomarkers for diagnosing infection were determined based on receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,and optimal cutoffs were determined based on the Y ouden index.The diagnostic ability of these biomarkers was re-assessed after combining them with each other.Results:A total of 62 patients with inflammatory diseases were studied;of them 30 were infected.The area under the ROC curve was 0.813 for CRP,0.638 for ESR,0.795 for FIB,and 0.656 for NLR.The optimal predictive cutoff of CRP was 14.04 mg/L with a sensitivity of 86.2%and a specificity of 68.7%,while FIB had a sensitivity of 72.4%and a specificity of 81.2%with the optimal predictive cutoff of 4.04 g/L.The combinations of CRP with FIB produced a sensitivity of 86.2%and specificity of 78.1%.Conclusion:CRP with a slightly higher predictive cutoff and FIB are useful for screening PJI in patients with inflammatory diseases,and the combination of CRP and FIB may further improve the diagnostic values.

Clinical application of C-reactive protein in infective endocarditis

Background The prognostic value of serum C-reactive protein（CRP） in patients with infective endocarditis（IE） is not well elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of CRP in predicting the outcome of IE.Methods Two hundred ninty-six patients from 2009 to 2012 in the Department of Cardiology at Guangdong General Hospital were screened and divided into surgical and conventional treatment groups. CRP, white blood cell（WBC）, erythrocyte sedimentation rate（ESR） and other clinical data were obtained with follow-up for 12 months. Results Two hundred thirty-six patients were assigned to receive surgery treatment while 60 patients received conventional treatment. In the surgery group, the level of CRP in the death patients was significantly higher than that in the survival patients（P〈0.001）. The area under the curve of ROC was about 0.749（SE0.064,P=0.005, 95%CI, 0.624-0.874） and the cut-off point of CRP was 23.8 mg/L. In conventional group, there was significant difference between death and survival（P 〈0.001）. The area under the curve of ROC was about 0.701（SE0.095, P =0.032, 95%CI, 0.515-0.888） and the cut-off points of CRP was 65.6 mg/L. There were no significant differences in WBC and ESR between surgery and conventional groups. Conclusion A more aggressive surgical intervention results in a better outcome over conventional treatment and CRP could be served as a predictive marker for adverse outcome in IE patients.

Correlation study of sleep efficiency with C-reactive protein and IL-6 in patients with infective endocarditis

Background Sleep disorders have been found in patients with infective endocarditis(IE)and are reported to have a strong correlation with inflammation. In this study,we measured the serum levels of inflammatory factors and evaluated the correlations of postoperative sleep efficiency with C-reactive protein and interleukin-6(IL-6)in IE patients. Methods A total of 117 post-operative patients with IE were enrolled in the study. All patients were tested using a wearable actigraphy device for their sleep efficiency. All patients were examined for C-reactive protein,and 72 patients were tested for IL-6. Results A correlation analysis was performed between C-reactive protein and IL-6. The average sleep efficiency of most of the IE patients was 80.81±8.52%,and the average result of the C-reactive protein test was 29.98±26.3 mg/L. The correlation coefficient between sleep efficiency and C-reactive protein was-0.3011. The average result of the IL-6 test was 24.52±23.85 pg/mL,and the correlation coefficient between sleep efficiency and IL-6 was-0.3543. Conclusions Postoperative sleep efficiency is negatively correlated with serum levels of C-reactiveprotein and IL-6 in patients with IE.[S Chin J Cardiol2019;20(2):103-107]

Hepatitis B virus infection and coronary atherosclerosis: Results from a population with relatively high prevalence of hepatitis B virus

AIM: To investigate the possible association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD) in a population with relatively high prevalence of HBV.METHODS: Sera from 434 patients who underwent coronary angiography were tested for HBV antigens (HBsAg, HBeAg) and antibodies (Anti-HBs, Anti-HBc and Anti-HBe) by ELISA.RESULTS: Seventy-seven percent (224/291) of the patients with CAD and 73.4% (105/143) of the patients without angiographic evidence of atherosclerosis were seropositive for HBV (P＞0.05). However, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher in patients with CAD (P = 0.008), while lower in HBV seropositive population (P= 0.043 and P = 0.021 after adjustment for conventional risk factors).CONCLUSION: Our results suggested HBV infection negatively correlates with CRP levels, but seems not to be associated with coronary atherosclerosis.

Infection recurrence following minimally invasive treatment in patients with infectious pancreatic necrosis

BACKGROUND In recent decades,an increasing number of patients have received minimally invasive intervention for infected pancreatic necrosis(IPN)because of the benefits in reducing postoperative multiple organ failure and mortality.However,there are limited published data regarding infection recurrence after treatment of this patient population.AIM To investigate the incidence and prediction of infection recurrence following successful minimally invasive treatment in IPN patients.METHODS Medical records for 193 IPN patients,who underwent minimally invasive treatment between February 2014 and October 2018,were retrospectively reviewed.Patients,who survived after the treatment,were divided into two groups:one group with infection after drainage catheter removal and another group without infection.The morphological and clinical data were compared between the two groups.Significantly different variables were introduced into the correlation and multivariate logistic analysis to identify independent predictors for infection recurrence.Sensitivity and specificity for diagnostic performance were determined.RESULTS Of the 193 IPN patients,178 were recruited into the study.Of them,9(5.06%)patients died and 169 patients survived but infection recurred in 13 of 178 patients(7.30%)at 7(4-10)d after drainage catheters were removed.White blood cell(WBC)count,serum C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-6,and procalcitonin levels measured at the time of catheter removal were significantly higher in patients with infection than in those without(all P<0.05).In addition,drainage duration and length of the catheter measured by computerized tomography scan were significantly longer in patients with infection(P=0.025 and P<0.0001,respectively).Although these parameters all correlated positively with the incidence of infection(all P<0.05),only WBC,CRP,procalcitonin levels,and catheter length were identified as independent predictors for infection recurrence.The sensitivity and specificity for infection prediction were high in WBC count(≥9.95×109/L)and serum procalcitonin level(≥0.05 ng/mL)but moderate in serum CRP level(cut-off point≥7.37 mg/L).The catheter length(cut-off value≥8.05 cm)had a high sensitivity but low specificity to predict the infection recurrence.CONCLUSION WBC count,serum procalcitonin,and CRP levels may be valuable for predicting infection recurrence following minimally invasive intervention in IPN patients.These biomarkers should be considered before removing the drainage catheters.

Inflammatory response in confirmed non-diabetic foot and ankle infections:A case series with normal inflammatory markers

BACKGROUND The distinction between foot and ankle wound healing complications as opposed to infection is crucial for the appropriate and efficacious allocation of antibiotic therapy.Multiple reports have focused on the diagnostic accuracy of different inflammatory markers,however,mainly in the diabetic population.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of white cell count(WCC)and C-reactive protein(CRP)as diagnostic tools for this distinction in the non-diabetic cohort.METHODS Data was reviewed from a prospectively maintained Infectious Diseases Unit database of 216 patients admitted at Leicester University Hospitals–United Kingdom with musculoskeletal infections over the period between July 2014 and February 2020(68 mo).All patients with confirmed diagnosis of diabetes were excluded while only those with confirmed microbiological or clinical diagnosis of foot or ankle infection were included in our study.For the included patients,we retrospectively retrieved the inflammatory markers(WCCs and CRP)at the time of presentation.Values of CRP 0-10 mg/L and WCC 4.0-11.0×109/L were considered normal.RESULTS After exclusion of patients with confirmed diabetes,25 patients with confirmed foot or ankle infections were included.All infections were confirmed microbiolo-gically with positive intra-operative culture results.7(28%)patients with osteomyelitis(OM)of the foot,11(44%)with OM of the ankle,5(20%)with ankle septic arthritis and 2(8%)patients with post-surgical wound infection were identified.Previous bony surgery was identified in 13(52%)patients,either a corrective osteotomy or an open reduction and internal fixation for a foot or ankle fracture with the infection developing on top of the existing metalwork.21(84%)patients did have raised inflammatory markers while 4(16%)patients failed to mount an inflammatory response even with subsequent debridement and removal of metal work.CRP sensitivity was 84%,while WCC sensitivity was only 28%.CONCLUSION CRP has a relatively good sensitivity in the diagnosis of foot and ankle infections in non-diabetic patients,whereas WCC is a poor inflammatory marker in the detection of such cases.In presence of clinically high level of suspicion of foot or ankle infection,a normal CRP should not rule out the diagnosis of OM.

Research Progress of Combined Detection of WBC, CRP and SAA in Early Diagnosis of Respiratory Tract Infection in Children

Objective: To investigate the application of WBC, CRP and SAA combined detection in the early diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children. Methods: Collect the literature reports on the early diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children by the combined detection of WBC, CRP and SAA in recent years, and follow up the relevant literature reports from the selection of “new three routine” laboratory items for rapid diagnosis in pediatric outpatient department and the application of the combined detection of WBC, CRP and SAA in the early diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children. Results: Many literature studies found that the combined detection of WBC, CRP and SAA has important clinical significance in the early diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children. Conclusion: Through reviewing the relevant literature, we can understand the application of WBC, CRP and SAA combined detection in the early diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children. To provide more accurate and reliable laboratory data for the early diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infection in children in the future.

Mycoplasma infections and different human carcinomas

AIM: To explore relationships between human carcinomas and mycoplasma infection. METHODS: Monoclonal antibody PD4, which specifically recognizes a distinct protein from mycoplasma hyorhinis, was used to detect mycoplasma infection in different paraffin embedded carcinoma tissues with immunohistochemistry. PCR was applied to amplify the mycoplasma DNA from the positive samples for confirming immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Fifty of 90 cases (56%) of gastric carcinoma were positive for mycoplasma hyorhinis. In other gastric diseases, the mycoplasma infection ratio was 28% (18/49) in chronic superficial gastritis, 30% (14/46) in gastric ulcer and 37% (18/49) in intestinal metaplasia. The difference is significant with gastric cancer (chi(2) = 12.06, P 【 0.05). In colon carcinoma, the mycoplasma infection ratio was 55.1% (32/58),but it was 20.9% (10/49)in adenomarous polyp (chi(2)=13.46, P 【 0.005). Gastric and colon cancers with high differentiation had a higher mycoplasma infection ratio than those with low differentiation (P 【 0.05). Mycoplasma infection in esophageal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and glioma was 50.9% (27/53), 52.6% (31/59), 39.7% (25/63) and 41% (38/91), respectively. The mycoplasma DNA was successfully amplified with the DNA extracted from the cancer tissues that were positive for mycoplasma infection (detected with antibody PD4). CONCLUSION: There was high correlation between mycoplasma infection and different cancers, which suggests the possibility of an association between the two. The mechanism involved in oncogenesis by mycoplasma remains unknown.

Severity Score as a Prognostic Factor for Management of Infections of Odontogenic Origin, a Study of 100 Cases

Purpose: The main objective of the current study is to determine whether it is possible to correlate the longevity of the hospitalization period (LOS) to efficacy of surgical treatment regime and severity scoring. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 patients met our inclusion criteria. All patient records, including results of hematologic and biochemical parameters, were recorded. The patients were later subcategorized further according to a severity score (“Low, Moderate, Severe”) of their main facial space involvement. The main analysis of the study is a regression analysis model;all the variables (sex, age, CRP, white blood cell count, fever, space, and etiology) were stratified according to the overall hospital stay. A crosstab comparison was performed next;the variables were categorized and combined with hospital stay, and then entered in Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient or Spearman’s rho (ρ), 2-tailed (t) Test, and regression equation. The significance level was set at p Results: The most prevalent anatomical space infection was vestibular space abscess or cellulitis 33%, followed by an infraorbital space abscess or cellulitis 17%. Most commonly involved teeth are lower molars with 43% of the total, upper central sixth with 20% and upper molars with 10%;mandibular origin was found to be the cause in 54%. The regression equation showed no linear relation between CRP with the overall hospital stay (p > 0.05). No systemic temperature values were found to be correlated to any space involved or LOS. Log-rank chi-square effect tests indicated only a significant effect of severity, p =0.00016. The “Moderate & Severe” group compared to the “Low” group had a longer median LOS, 4.5 (2 to 8) vs 3 (1 to 8) respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown severity scoring to be statistically significant parameter in LOS prediction.

Study on the relationship between serum PCT, CRP level and atypical lymphocyte ratio and severity of respiratory virus infection

Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) combined with the proportion of atypical lymphocytes and severity of respiratory virus infection. Methods: A total of 113 children with respiratory infection in our hospital from January 2018 to August 2018 were enrolled. According to the type of infection, they were divided into bacterial infection group (n=38) and virus infection group (n=52), 60 healthy children were selected as the control group. Serum PCT, CRP and atypical lymphocyte ratios were measured in each group, and the relationship between them and the severity of the disease was analyzed. Results: The serum CRP and PCT in the bacterial infection group were significantly higher than those in the virus-infected group and the control group. While The ratio of atypical lymphocytes in the virus-infected group was significantly higher than that in the bacterial-infected group and the control group;The serum PCR, CRP and atypical lymphocyte ratio gradually increased with the severity of the disease, the difference was statistically significant. Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum PCT, CRP content and atypical lymphocyte ratio were significantly positively correlated with the severity of the disease. The positive rate of PCR and CRP in the bacterial infection group was significantly higher than that in the virus infection group. The positive rate of heterotypic lymphocyte ratio was significantly lower than that in the virus infection group. Conclusion: The detection of serum PCT and CRP levels has a good diagnostic value for bacterial respiratory infections. The ratio of atypical lymphocytes can be used as a preliminary aid in the diagnosis of respiratory virus infection-related diseases. The combination of the two is of great significance for the clinical diagnosis of children with respiratory infections.

Do Cytokines Play a Role in Predicting Some Features and Outcome in Infective Endocarditis?

Objective: This study aimed to measure the serum concentrations of several cytokines in patients with infective endocarditis (IE), and correlate them with the C-reactive protein serum levels, echocardiographic findings and infecting microorganisms. Methods: Forty-five patients with definite IE according to the Duke’s criteria were included in the study. Ten healthy blood donors formed the control group. Serum levels of interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured and compared between the groups, and also with some clinical and laboratory parameters of IE. Results: Patients with IE had significantly higher serum concentrations of the inflammatory mediators than the control patients. Median IL-12 and IL-1β levels were higher in staphylococcal than streptococcal IE. Except for TNF-α, the levels of all the other cytokines correlated with the C-reactive protein concentrations. In multivariate analysis, IL-10 and IL-12 serum levels remained as independent factors associated with the C-reactive protein concentrations. There was a significant correlation between IL-10 concentration and vegetation length. Conclusion: The inflammatory serum cytokines levels were elevated in IE in comparison to healthy controls. C-reactive protein concentrations correlated with cytokines levels. IL-1β and IL-12 serum concentrations were higher in staphylococcal when compared to streptococcal IE. IL-10 levels were associated with vegetation size.