title: Pentraxin-3 as a marker of disease activity in Takayasu arteritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because pentraxin-3 (PTX3) is produced by immune and vascular cells in response to proinflammatory signals, it may be a useful biomarker for defining disease activity in patients with Takayasu arteritis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare PTX3 levels in patients who have Takayasu arteritis with those in healthy and infected controls, and to compare accuracy of PTX3 levels with that of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) for distinguishing active and inactive disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, noninterventional study conducted between September 2005 and October 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunology and rheumatology clinic at a university hospital in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  57 consecutive patients with Takayasu arteritis and known disease activity, 57 healthy blood donor controls, and 15 patients with acute infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Disease activity by clinical criteria; plasma PTX3 and CRP levels and ESR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  27 patients had active Takayasu arteritis; 30 had inactive disease. Levels of PTX3 were higher in patients with active disease (median, >2.14 ng/mL [range, 0.57 to 48.18 ng/mL]) than in those with inactive disease (median, 0.63 ng/mL [range, 0.00 to 1.64 ng/mL]) and were higher than in healthy patients (median, 0.11 ng/mL [range, 0 to 1.20 ng/mL]) or those with acute infection (median, 0.26 ng/mL [range, 0 to 0.75 ng/mL]). A plasma PTX3 level greater than 1 ng/mL was more accurate than normal thresholds of CRP or ESR for distinguishing active from inactive disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study excluded patients with unknown or equivocal disease status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma levels of PTX3 could help distinguish active from inactive Takayasu arteritis but should not be adopted for clinical use until the findings are confirmed in a broader spectrum of patients whose disease activity is unknown or equivocal before testing.
authors.affiliation: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University School of Medicine and San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy. lorenzo.dagna@unisr.it
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dagna
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salvo
authors.forename: Mirta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tiraboschi
authors.forename: Enrica P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Bozzolo
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doglioni
authors.forename: Angelo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baldissera
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sabbadini
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism*; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins