title: Serum chitotriosidase activity in pulmonary tuberculosis: response to treatment and correlations with clinical parameters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chitotriosidase is an accepted marker of macrophage activation. In this study, we investigated serum chitotriosidase levels in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forth-two patients with PTB and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. The radiological extent of PTB, radiological sequela after treatment, and the degree of smear positivity were assessed. Chitotriosidase levels were measured by a fluorometric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum chitotriosidase levels of the PTB patients were significantly higher than those of the control subjects (39.73±24.97 vs. 9.63±4.55 nmol/mL/h, P<0.001). After completion of the standard 6-month antituberculous treatment, chitotriosidase levels in PTB patients significantly decreased (10.47±4.54 nmol/mL/h, P<0.001). Chitotriosidase levels correlated significantly with the radiological extent of PTB, degree of smear positivity, and post-treatment radiological sequela score (r=0.439, r=0.449, and r=0.337, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that serum chitotriosidase levels increase in PTB; therefore, chitotriosidase can be used as a marker of disease activity, severity, and response to treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gulhane Military Medical Academy Haydarpasa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cakır
authors.forename: Seyfettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.forename: Ergun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ucar
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Ergun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tozkoparan
authors.forename: Emin Ozgur
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Akgul
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Deniz
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Hayati
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bilgic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005470:Fluorometry; D006596:Hexosaminidases / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012372:ROC Curve; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006596:Hexosaminidases; C086400:chitotriosidase