Objective Monitoring of Disease Activity in Wegener's Granulomatosis by Measurement of Serum C-Reactive Protein Concentration

Objective.Since Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) represents a relapsing disease, efforts have been made to reliably predict relapses using blood tests. Followup measures such as conventionally determined C-reactive protein (CRP), antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (C-ANCA) titer, and proteinase-3 (PR3) ELISA are applied. We evaluated whether during remission elevated highly sensitive CRP (hsCRP) precedes relapse as a marker of subclinical inflammation and thus might improve clinical assessment.Methods.We investigated 227 sera of 57 patients with WG: 74 sera collected from patients in remission who subsequently relapsed (before relapse), 30 sera collected during relapse, and 123 sera from patients in remission without relapse. We also distinguished between major and minor relapse. hsCRP, conventionally determined CRP (CRP), C-ANCA, PR3-ELISA, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured using commercial kits, and levels were correlated to clinical status.Results.Only hsCRP and ANCA titer, but not CRP levels, were higher in sera from patients who subsequently relapsed versus those who did not, indicating patients at risk. Levels of hsCRP, CRP, and ESR were higher in sera collected during relapse than in the sera before relapse. hsCRP, conventional CRP, and ESR were also higher in samples collected during major relapse than before major relapse. Looking at the levels just before relapse compared to previous levels during remission, none of these measures rose directly before the clinical manifestation of the relapse.Conclusion.Our study provides evidence for an additional value of hsCRP in the clinical assessment of patients with WG.

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25-Hydroxycholecalciferol Concentration Is Associated with Protein Loss and Serum Albumin Level during the Acute Phase of Burn Injury

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12092780 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 2780

Author(s):

Andrzej Krajewski ◽

Krzysztof Piorun ◽

Dominika Maciejewska-Markiewicz ◽

Marta Markowska ◽

Karolina Skonieczna-Żydecka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Protein Concentration ◽

Serum Albumin Level ◽

Burn Injury ◽

Albumin Level ◽

Albumin Concentration ◽

Transaminase Activity ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

25 Hydroxycholecalciferol

Background: Burned patients have an increased need for vitamin D supply related to the maintenance of calcium–phosphate homeostasis and the regulation of cell proliferation/differentiation. This study aimed to analyze the concentration of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and its relationship with severe condition after burn injury. Methods: 126 patients were enrolled in the study. Patients were qualified due to thermal burns—over 10% of total body surface area. On the day of admission, the following parameters were assessed: 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentration, total protein concentration, albumin concentration, aspartate transaminase activity, alanine transaminase activity, albumin concentration, creatinine concentration, c-reactive protein concentration, procalcitonin concentration, and interleukin-6 concentration. Results: Almost all patients (92%) in the study group had an improper level of vitamin D (<30 ng/mL), with the average of 11.6 ± 10.7 ng/mL; 17.5% of patients had levels of vitamin D below the limit of determination—under 3 ng/mL. The study showed that there are several factors which correlated with vitamin D concentration during the acute phase of burn injury, including: total protein (r = 0.42, p < 0.01), albumin, (r = 0.62, p < 0.01), percentage of body burns (r = 0.36, p < 0.05), aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.21, p < 0.05), and c-reactive protein (r = 0.22, p < 0.05). We did not find any significant correlation between vitamin D concentration and body mass index. Conclusions: The burn injury has an enormous impact on the metabolism and the risk factors of the deficiency for the general population (BMI) have an effect on burned patients. Our study showed that concentration of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol is strongly correlated with serum albumin level, even more than total burn surface area and burn degrees as expected. We suspect that increased supplementation of vitamin D should be based on albumin level and last until albumin levels are balanced.

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POS1012 HOW IMPORTANT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS ON MILITARY POPULATION’S WORKING LIFE?

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.3740 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 774.2-774

Author(s):

T. Mehmli ◽

R. Dhahri ◽

M. Slouma ◽

E. Hannech ◽

B. Louzir ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ankylosing Spondylitis ◽

Disease Activity ◽

Activity Index ◽

Productivity Loss ◽

Young Patients ◽

Work Productivity ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Military Patients ◽

The Impact

Background:Spondyloarthritis is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases involving axial and peripheral joints. It mainly affects young patients typically of working age. Therefore, its impact on work outcomes may be considerable particularly in military patients.Objectives:The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of spondyloarthritis on work ability and productivity in military patients, and to assess relationship between work productivity loss and disease activity.Methods:Thirty Three patients diagnosed with spondyloarthritis in the militay hospital of Tunis were included in the study. Age, gender and C-reactive protein were recorded. Data related to duration of the disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) were also recorded. Employed patients completed Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire witch assesses four subscales: presenteism, absenteism, overall work impairemend and daily activity impairement in the 7 past days.Results:Among the thirty three patients, 63 % were men and 37% were women. The average age was 43,7 ± 13,5. The average duration of disease was 8,5 ± 7,75 years. Mean C-Reactive protein was 27,5 ± 39,3. Mean ASDAS and BASDAI were 3,12 ± 1,39 and 4,26 ± 1,78 respectively. 22 patients (66%) had an active disease and 11 (33%)were in remission. 48,4% of patients were using NSAIDs, 48,4% were under DMARDs and 42% were under biologics (12 patients using TNF-alpha blockers and 2 patients were given IL-17 inhibitors). Among this patients, 27 were employed. Three patients (11%) had a total work disability and were retired from work and two have been outplaced.Employed patients worked an average of 35,6 ± 10,3 hours per week and missed an average of 3,48 ± 6,49 hours per week. The mean rates of absenteeism, presenteeism and work productivity loss were 8,8 ± 16,9 %, 48,4 ± 19,9 % and 48,6 ± 19,7 %.There was a statistically significant correlation between BASDAI and work missed hours (p<0,05, r=0,48), absenteeism (p<0,05, r=0,48), presenteeism (p<0,01, r=0,669), work impairement (p<0,01, r=0,669), activity impairement (p<0,05, r=0,475) and work productivity loss (p<0,05, r=0,475), as well as between ASDAS CRP and presenteeism (p<0,05, r= 0,593), work impairement (p<0,05, r=0,593), activity impairement(p<0,05, r=0,460) and work productivity loss (p<0,05, r=0,460). No relation was found between WPAI indexes and C-reactive protein.Conclusion:This study demonstrates that spondyloarthritis has a major impact on military patients’ work productivity with a significant correlation between WAPI indexes and disease activity scores (ASDAS CRP and BASDAI). No relation was found with C-reactive protein.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.

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POS0241 VALIDATION OF THE ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS DISEASE ACTIVITY SCORE WITH A QUICK QUANTITATIVE C-REACTIVE PROTEIN ASSAY (ASDAS-QCRP) IN PATIENTS WITH AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS (AXSPA): A PROSPECTIVE, NATIONAL, MULTICENTER STUDY

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.2352 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 342.1-342

Author(s):

F. Proft ◽

J. Schally ◽

H. C. Brandt ◽

J. Brandt-Juergens ◽

G. R. Burmester ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ankylosing Spondylitis ◽

Disease Activity ◽

Disease Activity Score ◽

High Disease Activity ◽

Activity Score ◽

Inactive Disease ◽

Treat To Target ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Low Disease Activity ◽

Reactive Protein

Background:According to international recommendations, the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) is the preferred score for assessing disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) [1]. However, routine determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) to calculate ASDAS values takes hours to days. This limits the use of ASDAS in clinical routine and clinical trials and hinders the implementation of treat-to-target approaches in axSpA. Whereas quick quantitative CRP (qCRP) tests allow CRP assessment within a few minutes. In a pilot project the performance of qCRP-based ASDAS assessment (ASDAS-qCRP) was already investigated in a single center study of 50 newly diagnosed, bDMARD-naïve axSpA patients with promising results [2].Objectives:To validate the ASDAS-qCRP in a prospective, multicenter study of axSpA patients in a typical axSpA cohort with an appropriate sample size.Methods:The study was conducted in five centers in Germany. Consecutive adult (≥ 18 years) axSpA patients were included. In addition to a rheumatological assessment, including patient reported outcomes (PROs), routine CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured in the local labs. Additionally, a qCRP testing with the „QuikRead go instrument“ (Aidian Oy, Finland) was performed at the study center (measurement range 0.5 - 200 mg/l for hematocrit concentrations of 40 – 45%). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, cross tabulation and weighted Cohen´s kappa comparing disease activity categories, Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for ASDAS-CRP and ASDAS-qCRP.Results:In this study 251 axSpA patients were included between January and September 2020 (mean age: 38.4 years; mean disease duration: 6.2 years, 159 patients (63.3%) were male, 211 (84.1%) HLA-B27 positive and 195 (77.7%) were classified as radiographic axSpA). 143 patients (57.0%) were treated with bDMARDs. CRP and qCRP showed mean values of 2.12 and 2.17 mg/l, respectively. With the ASDAS-qCRP, 242 patients (96.4%) were assigned to the same disease activity category as compared to the ASDAS based on the conventional lab CRP measurement (Table 1). Weighted Cohen´s kappa was 0.966 (95%CI: 0.943; 0.988). ICC for ASDAS-CRP- and ASDAS-qCRP-values was 0.997 (95%CI: 0.994; 0.999). The agreement of ASDAS-qCRP and ASDAS-CRP is shown in a Bland-Altman plot (Figure 1).Table 1.Disease activity categories by ASDAS-qCRP vs. ASDAS-CRPASDAS-qCRP (n = 251)Inactive Disease(< 1.3)Low Disease Activity (1.3 - < 2.1)High Disease Activity (2.1 - 3.5)Very high Disease Activity (> 3.5)ASDAS-CRPInactive Disease(< 1.3)56 (22.3%)2 (0.8%)Low Disease Activity (1.3 - < 2.1)62 (24.7%)7 (2.8%)High Disease Activity (2.1 - 3.5)97 (38.6%)Very high Disease Activity (> 3.5)27 (10.8%)The fields highlighted in red indicate that disease activity categories do not match.ASDAS = Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score, CRP = C-reactive protein, qCRP = quick quantitative CRPConclusion:The ASDAS-qCRP and ASDAS-CRP showed an almost perfect agreement on the assignment to disease activity categories (96%) with the important advantage of time. With ASDAS-qCRP, rheumatologists could base their clinical decision-making on a disease activity measurement by using a composite score immediately. ASDAS-qCRP, therefore, can be integrated in clinical routine and clinical trials in the future and may facilitate implementation of the treat-to-target concept in axial SpA.References:[1]Smolen JS, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018 Jan; 77(1):3-17.[2]Proft F, et al. Joint Bone Spine. 2019 Jul 29.Figure 1.Bland-Altman plot for ASDAS-qCRP and ASDAS-CRPAcknowledgements:The authors would like to deeply thank Braun T, Doerwald C, Deter N, Höppner C, Lackinger J, Lorenz C, Lunkwitz K, Mandt B, Sron S and Zernicke J for their practical support and coordinating the study.Funding statement: The AQUA study was supported by an unrestricted research grant from Novartis. Testing kits were provided free of charge from Aidian Oy, Finland.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

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