title: Diagnostic testing for a high-grade inflammation: parameter dynamics and novel markers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The timely detection of severe inflammatory conditions is of great importance for early therapy initiation and the patient's prognosis. The complex humoral and cellular processes involved in inflammation offer many opportunities for diagnostic testing, which are still unused in clinical practice. We investigated the dynamics of four established and two novel potential markers during the onset and resolution of a high-grade inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed C-reactive protein and procalcitonin concentrations, leukocyte and thrombocyte counts, granularity index, and δ-hemoglobin measured in peripheral blood samples of patients undergoing inflammation diagnostics between September 2010 and November 2010. Data from a consecutive sample of 53,968 patients were available.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Trajectories for the parameters' dynamics during the onset and resolution of a high-grade inflammation were calculated with a locally weighted scatter plot smoothing method. The leukocyte count trajectories did not exceed the reference range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were able to elucidate the parameter dynamics with time coordinates rounded to the nearest hour and a follow-up of 168 h.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2079-9123
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000166:cytology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide