title: Imbalanced serum concentration between cathepsin B and cystatin C in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the serum expression of cathepsin B and cystatin C and the ratio of cathepsin B to cystatin C in patients with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and speculate whether those are helpful indicators for the diagnosis of PID.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random consecutive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four women who were diagnosed with PID.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collected blood specimens of patients before and after they received treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  ELISA analysis was used to measure the serum levels of cathepsin B and cystatin C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly increased expression of cathepsin B but decreased expression of cystatin C and significant correlations between neutrophils and cathepsin B, as well as between C-reactive protein (CRP) and cathepsin B, were found in patients with PID. Consistently, the ratio of cathepsin B to cystatin C correlated significantly with neutrophils and with CRP in patients with PID.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased expression of cathepsin B but a decreased level of cystatin C and an imbalance between cathepsin B and cystatin C may contribute to the progression of PID. Detection of cathepsin B and cystatin C can provide useful clinical information for PID.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiu-Ting
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Po-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-Torng
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Tee
authors.forename: Long-Yau
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yih-Shou
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Shun-Fa
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000097:blood*; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C525030:CST3 protein, human; D055316:Cystatin C; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C533912:CTSB protein, human; D002401:Cathepsin B