title: Invasive fungal infections are associated with severe depletion of circulating RANTES.
abstract: Serum RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) concentrations were measured in 14 patients who had haematological malignancies and developed invasive fungal infections (three of them definite, eight probable and three possible). RANTES levels fell substantially from pre-chemotherapy values at the start of and throughout the fungal infection, and recovered in patients who survived the fungal infection. However, in patients who died from the invasive fungal infection, RANTES levels did not recover. For survivors the mean +/- sd levels for RANTES were 7656 +/- 877 pg ml(-1) on the day prior to chemotherapy, 3723 +/- 2443 pg ml(-1) on the first day of fungal infection diagnosis (significantly different from baseline; P = 0.001) and 9078 +/- 2256 pg ml(-1) at recovery from the fungal infection (significantly different from lowest value; P < 0.0001). Platelet counts were closely correlated with the RANTES levels (r = 0.63, P < 0.001). The RANTES concentrations for the three patients who died were similar to those who survived at all equivalent timepoints, but were significantly lower at the time of death (792 +/- 877) compared to the values at recovery for survivors (P = 0.005). The finding that patients who died from an invasive fungal infection had very low platelet counts and RANTES concentrations suggests that these could play a role in host response to such infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine1 and Department of Medical Microbiology2, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University Medical School, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Tawam Hospital, PO Box 15555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine1 and Department of Medical Microbiology2, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University Medical School, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Tawam Hospital, PO Box 15555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Basel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Al-Ramadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine1 and Department of Medical Microbiology2, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University Medical School, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Tawam Hospital, PO Box 15555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hedström
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine1 and Department of Medical Microbiology2, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University Medical School, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Tawam Hospital, PO Box 15555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Hussain
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine1 and Department of Medical Microbiology2, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University Medical School, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Tawam Hospital, PO Box 15555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shammas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine1 and Department of Medical Microbiology2, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University Medical School, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Tawam Hospital, PO Box 15555, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Jörgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristensen
mesh_terms: D018946:Chemokine CCL5 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000150:complications*; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000150:complications*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009181:Mycoses / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D010976:Platelet Count
chemical_list: D018946:Chemokine CCL5