title: Pentraxin-3 as a local inflammatory marker in chronic spontaneous urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pentraxin family plays an important role in the acute phase response to immune-inflammatory processes. The short pentraxin, C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) activity, reflecting the systemic effects of inflammatory mediators associated with the disease. It is known, that the long pentraxin, pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is produced at the sites of inflammation, therefore may better reflect activity of the local inflammatory processes. To assess the relevance of PTX3 in CSU patients and its association with CRP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma PTX3 and serum CRP concentrations were measured in patients with CSU of varying severity as well as in the healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentrations of PTX3 and CRP were significantly increased in more severe CSU patients, when compared to mild CSU and the healthy controls. There was a significant correlation between concentrations of PTX3 and CRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to CRP, PTX3 is produced at the sites of inflammation, therefore it seems that elevated PTX3 may result from activation of cells involved in local urticarial processes. Finally, the correlation between these two pentraxins suggests that they may be upregulated by the same mechanisms associated with acute phase response in CSU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Dermatology and Allergology, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: alakasperska@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasperska-Zajac
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Dermatology and Allergology, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzanka
authors.affiliation: Chair and Clinical Department of Otolaryngology in Zabrze, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misiolek
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology in Zabrze, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Pediatric in Zabrze, SMDZ in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Machura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component / Q000378:metabolism*; D014581:Urticaria / Q000097:blood*; D000099153:Pentraxins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; D000099153:Pentraxins
keywords: Acute phase response; C reactive protein; Chronic spontaneous urticaria; Inflammation; Pentraxin 3