Is analysis of inflammatory biomarkers and lymphocyte subpopulations useful in prediction of tuberculosis treatment outcomes?. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Musteikienė, Greta; Miliauskas, Skaidrius; Zaveckienė, Jurgita; Urbonienė, Daiva; Vitkauskienė, Astra; Žemaitis, Marius; Naudžiūnas, Albinas
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases. Volume 25(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: sICAM-1 -- suPAR -- Tuberculosis -- Sputum culture conversion -- Flow cytometry; Tuberculosis -- Periodicals; Mycobacterial diseases -- Periodicals; 616.995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jctube.2021.100275
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-5794

Abstract

Abstract: Analysis of inflammatory biomarkers and lymphocytes during the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) could yield findings that influence the routine clinical practice and use of new anti-TB drugs. This study aimed to evaluate whether the selected biomarkers—soluble intercellular adhesion molecule type 1, soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), and C-reactive protein (CRP)—and T-cell subpopulations are useful for predicting culture conversion, treatment outcomes, and the extent of radiological lesions (calculated using X-ray score) in patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary TB. This study included 62 patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary TB. CRP and suPAR levels significantly decreased after 1 month of treatment. Before treatment initiation, CRP and suPAR levels were significantly higher in patients without culture conversion; however, none of the selected host biomarkers appeared to significantly influence the conversion status or treatment outcomes. Some lymphocyte subpopulations were correlated with X-ray scores before TB treatment initiation, but lung destruction, as determined using X-ray scores, showed the highest correlation with the baseline CRP value. We conclude that selected host biomarkers have a very limited role in predicting TB treatment outcomes and culture conversion and do not appear to be superior to CRP in monitoring TB treatment.