Serum neopterin levels in patients with brucellosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of neopterin levels in brucellosis and its alterations with treatment.


METHODS
Thirty patients who had positive clinical findings, Brucella standard tube agglutination tests and/or positive blood culture were included in the study. The control group was composed of 30 healthy subjects. Neopterin (NPT) levels were measured by ELISA according to the protocol of manufacturer.


RESULTS
Mean NPT levels were 54.15+/-33.7 nmol/l in study groups and 8.75+/-2.48 nmol/l in controls (P<0.001). It was determined that NPT levels measured at the time of admission of the patients had a linear correlation between the duration of complaint (r=0.560, P=0.001). While the mean NPT levels in patients with complaints of over 30 days were 79.07+/-34.9 nmol/l and it was 39.71+/-23.4 nmol/l in the patients with complaints of less than or equal to 30 days (P=0.002). NPT values measured after treatment (20.48+/-25.6) was determined lower by statistical means than the values measured before treatment (54.15+/-33.7, P=0.0001). The NPT levels of patients with positive blood culture (75.56+/-33.6) were higher than those of with negative blood cultures (32.72+/-15.2, P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that the NPT levels were higher in patients with brucellosis. In addition, it was found that the levels of NPT were higher in non-responding patients than responded to the brucellosis treatment. It was thought that monitoring NPT levels could be useful for the extent and activity of the disease.
Akbulut
H Handan
HH
Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Firat University, 23119 Elazig, Turkey.
Celik
Ilhami
I
Akbulut
Ayhan
A
Yuce
Pinar
P
Kiliç
S Sirri
SS
D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000379:methods; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019798:Neopterin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein