title: Evaluation of the clinical cutoff level of serum (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan in patients with connective tissue diseases complicated by deep fungal infections.
abstract: Serum (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan levels and clinical findings were evaluated in 229 inpatients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) during the period between June and October 2004. The mean serum (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan level was 129.7 +/- 207.6 pg/mL in patients with a definitive diagnosis of fungal infections and 10.5 +/- 8.6 pg/mL in patients without fungal infections. Analysis of the diagnostic sensitivity/specificity for various (1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucan cutoff levels gave the best results for a cutoff level of 15 pg/mL, with a sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 81.3%. This level was therefore determined to be the optimal cutoff in patients with CTDs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan. kato_med@mac.com
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onoda
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Shusaku
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukaya
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011509:Proteoglycans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C010770:polysaccharide-K