title: Low-Grade Inflammation Is Associated with Susceptibility to Infection in Healthy Men: Results from the Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to examine whether low-grade inflammation (LGI) is associated with a subsequently increased risk of infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 15,754 healthy participants from the Danish Blood Donor Study, who completed a questionnaire on health-related items. LGI was defined as a C-reactive protein level between 3 and 10 mg/L. Infections were identified by ICD-10 codes in the Danish National Patient Register and ATC-codes in the Danish Prescription Register. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis was used as the statistical model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 53,302 person-years of observation, 571 participants were hospitalized for infection. Similarly, during 26,125 person-years of observation, 7,276 participants filled a prescription of antimicrobials. LGI was associated with increased risk of hospital-based treatment for infection only among men (hazard ratio = 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-2.34) and specifically infections were abscesses and infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Similarly, LGI was associated with the overall use of antimicrobials among men, and particularly with phenoxymethylpenicillin and broad-spectrum antimicrobials for treatment of urinary tract infections. The difference between men and women was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a large cohort of healthy individuals, LGI was associated with an increased risk of infection among healthy male blood donors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kathrine Agergård
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kaspersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Khoa Manh
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dinh
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lise Tornvig
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Erikstrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristoffer Sølvsten
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Burgdorf
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Naestved Hospital, Naestved, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ole Birger
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mikkel Steen
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hjalgrim
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rostgaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kaspar Rene
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ullum
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erikstrup
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001782:Blood Donors; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein