title: Clinical significance of serum S100A12 in acute otitis media in young children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  S100A12 is a calcium-binding protein predominantly expressed in neutrophil granulocytes in response to infections or inflammation. Acute otitis media (AOM) is a local infection mainly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and/or Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat).
  
  
  METHODS
  To study if S100A12 values could serve as a diagnostic marker, serum S100A12 concentrations were tested in young children before, at onset, and after recovery from AOM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 116 children with AOM, we found that serum S100A12 concentrations were significantly increased at onset of AOM compared with before infection (P = 0.0001), and returned to normal levels when the children recovered from the infection (P = 0.01). Elevation of S100A12 correlated with the presence of Spn (P = 0.004) or NTHi (P = 0.04) in the middle ear, but not with Mcat or upper respiratory viral infection. Change in serum value of S100A12 at onset of AOM was not related to the frequency of occurrence of AOM or the age of the child.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  S100A12 may be a useful biomarker for onset of AOM due to Spn and NTHi, and for following children with AOM.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Rochester General Research Institute, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY 14621, USA.
authors.forename: Keyi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pichichero
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045828:Moraxellaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D000067616:S100A12 Protein; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009418:S100 Proteins; D000067616:S100A12 Protein; C090441:S100A12 protein, human