title: Neopterin, beta 2-microglobulin, and acute phase proteins in HIV-1-seropositive and -seronegative Zambian patients with tuberculosis.
abstract: Neopterin is a biochemical marker for the activation of the cell-mediated immune system. We measured neopterin, beta 2-microglobulin, and acute phase proteins in 31 HIV-seropositive and -seronegative Zambian patients with tuberculosis, using stored sera that had been obtained at the beginning and at end of antituberculosis treatment. In both HIV-seropositive and -seronegative patients neopterin and acute phase proteins were elevated when tuberculosis was initially diagnosed and fell during treatment. In contrast, the mean beta 2-microglobulin level increased during antituberculous therapy in the HIV-seropositive group. Serum neopterin levels at diagnosis were correlated with other parameters of disease activity (fever, anemia, and weight loss). In both groups, patients with persistently elevated neopterin levels at the end of treatment were more likely to suffer relapse of tuberculosis or other adverse health events in the subsequent follow-up period. Neopterin can be used to monitor the response to antituberculous therapy in both HIV-seropositive and -seronegative patients and may have a prognostic value for the patients' wellbeing in the follow-up period.
authors.affiliation: London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosp
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Raynes
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mwinga
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zangerle
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Pobee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wachter
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dierich
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: McAdam
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuchs
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin