Clinical evaluation of human epididymis protein 4 as a biomarker for epididymitis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate HE4 as a potential biomarker for acute epididymitis.


METHODS
HE4 levels in serum were measured in 62 patients with acute epididymitis and 62 age-matched male controls.


RESULTS
Both patients with epididymitis and the controls showed median HE4 values of 42 pmol/l (range: 10-560 pmol/l) and 34 pmol/l (range: 2-300 pmol/l), respectively (p = 0.3). Levels of HE4 did not change in the course of the treatment in patients with epididymitis. Regression analysis revealed no significant association between HE4 and any infection-linked variable. Multivariate analysis resulted in a number of factors associated with increased HE4 levels, which were renal dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases and malignancies.


CONCLUSIONS
Although HE4 is not a biomarker for epididymitis and infection, it qualifies as a candidate for identifying patients with increased morbidity.
Department of Urology, Pediatric Urology & Andrology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany. adrian.pilatz@chiru.med.uni-giessen.de
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A
Pilatz
M
M
Bürger
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G
Lüdecke
F
F
Wagenlehner
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W
Weidner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D004823:Epididymitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; D055815:Young Adult
D011506:Proteins; D000081102:WAP Four-Disulfide Core Domain Protein 2; C569698:WFDC2 protein, human