title: Serum (1,3)-beta-D-glucan is an inefficient marker of breakthrough candidemia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of serum (1,3)-beta-D-glucan (BDG) for earlier detection of breakthrough candidemia. We reviewed the medical records of patients with candidemia from January 2008 to March 2013. Serum BDG was measured by Wako turbidimetric assay. During the study period, a total of 147 cases of candidemia were identified, and 31 patients met the criteria for breakthrough candidemia. Serum BDG levels were measured in 25 patients with breakthrough candidemia and 67 patients with nonbreakthrough candidemia. Almost all of the patients with breakthrough candidemia had hematological malignancies. More candidemia were caused by non-C. albicans Candida in the breakthrough group than in the nonbreakthrough group (92.0% vs. 61.8%, p = .005). The median BDG value was significantly lower in breakthrough episodes than in non-breakthrough episodes (18.5 pg/ml vs. 90.4 pg/ml, p = .01). Moreover, BDG values under the cutoff was significantly higher in patients with breakthrough candidemia than in those with nonbreakthrough candidemia (44% vs. 19%, p = .03). In summary, BDG alone was insufficient to detect breakthrough candidemia, and candidemia could occur in patients being treated with antifungal agents, even when the BDG value was under the cutoff value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Muneyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan h-araoka@toranomon.gr.jp.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Araoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan Okinaka Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoneyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D058387:Candidemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011509:Proteoglycans; D055815:Young Adult; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D011509:Proteoglycans; D047071:beta-Glucans; C010770:polysaccharide-K
keywords: (1,3)-beta-D-glucan; breakthrough candidemia; candidemia; preemptive therapy