title: Analysis of procalcitonin and CRP concentrations in serum of patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our previous findings showed the importance of analysing the peripheral markers of acute phase response (APR) activation, C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 in the context of urticaria activity and severity. However, these biomarkers do not reliably differentiate between APR to infectious and the disease severity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In order to investigate a possible association between the immune-inflammatory activation markers CRP and procalcitonin (PCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum PCT and CRP concentrations were measured in patients with CU of varying severity as well as in healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum PCT and CRP concentrations were significantly increased in more severe CU patients when compared to healthy controls and mild CU, and within the CU population there was a significant correlation between concentrations of PCT and CRP. Serum PCT concentrations remained within normal ranges in most CU patients and were only slightly elevated in some severe CU cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCT serum concentration may be only slightly elevated in some cases of severe CU. Upregulation of PCT synthesis accompanied by parallel changes in CRP concentration reflects a low-grade systemic inflammatory response in CU. PCT should be considered as a better marker than CRP to distinguish between APR to infection and an active non-specific urticarial inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Internal Diseases, Allergology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, ul. Ceglana 35, 40-952 Katowice, Poland. kasperska@plusnet.pl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasperska-Zajac
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzanka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Machura
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misiolek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Czecior
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kasperski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jochem
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014581:Urticaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide