title: Characterization of cytomegalovirus disease in solid organ transplant recipients by markers of inflammation in plasma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While several studies have examined the general inflammatory responses in relation to cytomegalovirus infection, the identification of the various inflammatory mediators as well as their relative importance is far from clear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Solid organ recipients enrolled in an international multicenter trial of cytomegalovirus disease treatment (the VICTOR study) were analyzed (n = 289) (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00431353). Plasma markers of inflammation and endothelial cell activation were assessed at baseline by enzyme immunoassays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major findings were: (i) Plasma levels of the CXC-chemokine interferon-inducible protein-10 (P<0.001) and C-reactive protein (P = 0.046) were independently associated with the presence of cytomegalovirus DNAemia above lower level of quantification. (ii) High levels of CC-chemokine ligand 21 (P = 0.027) and pentraxin 3 (P = 0.033) were independently associated with tissue invasive cytomegalovirus disease as opposed to cytomegalovirus syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings illustrate the complex interaction between cytomegalovirus and the immune system, involving a wide range of inflammatory mediators that could be associated to disease manifestations in cytomegalovirus related disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway. halvor.rollag@rr-research.no
authors.forename: Halvor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rollag
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueland
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asberg
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Alan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Jardine
authors.forename: Atul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Humar
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pescovitz
authors.forename: Angelo A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bignamini
authors.forename: Pål
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aukrust
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000502:physiology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019737:Transplants
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018925:Chemokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein