@entity4417 serum levels in XXXX : a potential biomarker for the severity of disease?

@entity1 @entity146 @entity4417 @entity1278 @entity465 @entity2242
BACKGROUND: @entity1278 carries the highest mortality rate of any @entity146 . Even the most critically ill anorexic @entity1 may present with normal 'standard' laboratory values, underscoring the need for a new sensitive biomarker. The complement cascade, a major component of innate immunity, represents a driving force in the pathophysiology of multiple inflammatory disorders. The role of @entity465 remains poorly understood. The present study was designed to evaluate the role of @entity4417 levels, the extent of complement activation and of complement hemolytic activity in serum, as potential new biomarkers for the severity of @entity1278 . @entity1 AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study on 14 @entity1 with severe @entity1278 , as defined by a body mass index (BMI) <14 kg/m2. Serum samples were obtained in a biweekly manner until hospital discharge. A total of 17 healthy subjects with normal BMI values served as controls. The serum levels of @entity4417 , @entity4417 , @entity2242 , sC5b-9, and of the 50% hemolytic complement activity (CH50) were quantified and correlated with the BMIs of @entity1 and control subjects. RESULTS: Serum C3 levels were significantly lower in @entity1 with @entity1278 than in controls (median 3.7 (interquartile range (IQR) 2.5-4.9) vs 11.4 (IQR 8.9-13.7, P <0.001). In contrast, complement activation fragments and CH50 levels were not significantly different between the two groups. There was a strong correlation between index C3 levels and BMI (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.71, P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: @entity4417 serum levels may represent a sensitive new biomarker for monitoring the severity of @entity1278 . The finding from this preliminary pilot study will require further investigation in future prospective large-scale multicenter trials.
