scholarly journals C-reactive protein as a triage tool for adults with presumptive pulmonary tuberculosis in South Africa: a prospective cohort study

Author(s):  
Claire J Calderwood ◽  
Byron WP Reeve ◽  
Tiffeney Mann ◽  
Zaida Palmer ◽  
Georgina Nyawo ◽  
...  

Background: Identification of an accurate, low-cost triage test for pulmonary TB among people presenting to healthcare facilities is an urgent global research priority. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) for TB triage among symptomatic adult outpatients, irrespective of HIV status. Methods: We prospectively enrolled adults reporting at least one (for people with HIV) or two (for people without HIV) symptoms of cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss at two TB clinics in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants provided sputum for culture and Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of CRP (measured using a laboratory-based assay) against a TB-culture reference standard as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and sensitivity and specificity at pre-specified thresholds. We assessed clinical utility using decision curve analysis, benchmarked against WHO recommendations. Results: Of 932 included individuals, 255 (27%) had culture-confirmed TB and 389 (42%) were living with HIV. CRP demonstrated an AUROC of 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.77-0.83), with sensitivity 93% (89-95%) and specificity 54% (50-58%) using a primary cut-off of ≥10mg/L. Performance was similar among people with HIV to those without. In decision curve analysis, CRP-based triage offered greater clinical utility than confirmatory testing for all up to a number willing to test threshold of 20 confirmatory tests per true positive TB case diagnosed. Conclusions: CRP approached the WHO-defined minimum performance for a TB triage test and showed evidence of clinical utility among symptomatic outpatients, irrespective of HIV status.

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 280-280
Author(s):  
Junichiro Ishioka ◽  
Kazutaka Saito ◽  
Mizuaki Sakura ◽  
Minato Yokoyama ◽  
Yoh Matsuoka ◽  
...  

280 Background: To accurately estimate the individual survival of patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC), the application of prediction models such as nomograms has been warranted in clinical use. We therefore constructed a nomogram which included C-reactive protein (CRP) as a novel biomarker in order to increase its predictive accuracy. Furthermore, the clinical usefulness of this nomogram was evaluated by decision curve analysis which incorporated the negative consequences of each decision to generate a net benefit (Vickers et al, BMC Med Inform Decis Mak, 2008). Methods: A total of 232 consecutive patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) were treated at our institute. Among them, 9 patients with missing data were excluded. The current study cohort was comprised of the remaining 223 patients. A nomogram predicting 6- and 12-month survival probability was developed based on the results of the final multivariate analytic model. To evaluate the efficacy of this nomogram, a quantified concordance-index (c-index) was computed and a decision curve analysis was performed. Results: Overall, 184 patients died of the primary disease and the remaining 39 were censored. The median follow-up period and length of overall survival were 5 and 6 months, respectively. The 6- and 12-month survival rates were 48% and 30% respectively. A nomogram was developed which included the parameters of age, PS, visceral metastasis, hemoglobin and CRP. The c-index of this prediction model was 0.79 compared with 0.75 for that of a model without CRP. The decision curve analysis revealed that a novel nomogram which incorporated CRP had a superior net benefit to that without CRP for most of the examined threshold probabilities. Conclusions: Incorporation of CRP increased the predictive accuracy of a prognostic nomogram for advanced UC. In clinical practice, this nomogram would contribute to the decision making process in the treatment of patients suffering from this form of carcinoma.


2015 ◽  
Vol 143 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 681-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomislav Pejovic ◽  
Miroslav Stojadinovic

Introduction. Accurate precholecystectomy detection of concurrent asymptomatic common bile duct stones (CBDS) is key in the clinical decision-making process. The standard preoperative methods used to diagnose these patients are often not accurate enough. Objective. The aim of the study was to develop a scoring model that would predict CBDS before open cholecystectomy. Methods. We retrospectively collected preoperative (demographic, biochemical, ultrasonographic) and intraoperative (intraoperative cholangiography) data for 313 patients at the department of General Surgery at Gornji Milanovac from 2004 to 2007. The patients were divided into a derivation (213) and a validation set (100). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was used to determine independent predictors of CBDS. These predictors were used to develop scoring model. Various measures for the assessment of risk prediction models were determined, such as predictive ability, accuracy, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration and clinical utility using decision curve analysis. Results. In a univariate analysis, seven risk factors displayed significant correlation with CBDS. Total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and bile duct dilation were identified as independent predictors of choledocholithiasis. The resultant total possible score in the derivation set ranged from 7.6 to 27.9. Scoring model shows good discriminatory ability in the derivation and validation set (AUC 94.3 and 89.9%, respectively), excellent accuracy (95.5%), satisfactory calibration in the derivation set, similar Brier scores and clinical utility in decision curve analysis. Conclusion. Developed scoring model might successfully estimate the presence of choledocholithiasis in patients planned for elective open cholecystectomy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 030006052098839
Author(s):  
Zhongping Ning ◽  
Xinming Li ◽  
Xi Zhu ◽  
Jun Luo ◽  
Yingbiao Wu

Objective To investigate the association between serum angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) levels and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation. Methods This retrospective study recruited patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation and they were divided into two groups (new-onset AF group and recurrent AF group). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were collected. Results A total of 192 patients with AF were included, including 69 patients with recurrence of AF. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were lower in patients with recurrent AF than in those with new-onset AF. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were positively correlated with superoxide dismutase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and negatively correlated with the CHA2DS2-VASC score, left atrial diameter, and levels of brain natriuretic peptide, malondialdehyde, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the best cut-off for recurrent AF was serum ANGPTL4 levels  < 19.735 ng/mL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 63.9% and 74.5%, respectively. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were significantly associated with recurrence and new onset of AF (odds ratio, 2.241; 95% confidence interval, 1.081–4.648). Conclusions Serum ANGPTL4 levels are lower in patients with recurrent AF than in those with new-onset AF, and are associated with cardiac hypertrophy, oxidative stress, and inflammation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 100-B (12) ◽  
pp. 1542-1550 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. van den Kieboom ◽  
P. Bosch ◽  
J. D. J. Plate ◽  
F. F. A. IJpma ◽  
R. Kuehl ◽  
...  

Aims To assess the diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP), leucocyte count (LC), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in late fracture-related infection (FRI). Materials and Methods PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched focusing on the diagnostic value of CRP, LC, and ESR in late FRI. Sensitivity and specificity combinations were extracted for each marker. Average estimates were obtained using bivariate mixed effects models. Results A total of 8284 articles were identified but only six were suitable for inclusion. Sensitivity of CRP ranged from 60.0% to 100.0% and specificity from 34.3% to 85.7% in all publications considered. Five articles were pooled for meta-analysis, showing a sensitivity and specificity of 77.0% and 67.9%, respectively. For LC, this was 22.9% to 72.6%, and 73.5% to 85.7%, respectively, in five articles. Four articles were pooled for meta-analysis, resulting in a 51.7% sensitivity and 67.1% specificity. For ESR, sensitivity and specificity ranged from 37.1% to 100.0% and 59.0% to 85.0%, respectively, in five articles. Three articles were pooled in meta-analysis, showing a 45.1% sensitivity and 79.3% specificity. Four articles analyzed the value of combined inflammatory markers, reporting an increased diagnostic accuracy. These results could not be pooled due to heterogeneity. Conclusion The serum inflammatory markers CRP, LC, and ESR are insufficiently accurate to diagnose late FRI, but they may be used as a suggestive sign in its diagnosis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
I G Panagiotopoulou ◽  
D Parashar ◽  
R Lin ◽  
S Antonowicz ◽  
AD Wells ◽  
...  

Introduction Inflammatory markers such as white cell count (WCC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and, more recently, bilirubin have been used as adjuncts in the diagnosis of appendicitis. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the above markers in acute and perforated appendicitis as well as their value in excluding the condition. Methods A retrospective analysis of 1,169 appendicectomies was performed. Patients were grouped according to histological examination of appendicectomy specimens (normal appendix = NA, acute appendicitis = AA, perforated appendicitis = PA) and preoperative laboratory test results were correlated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area analysis (area under the curve [AUC]) was performed to examine diagnostic accuracy. Results ROC analysis of all laboratory variables showed that no independent variable was diagnostic for AA. Good diagnostic accuracy was seen for AA when all variables were combined (WCC/CRP/bilirubin combined AUC: 0.8173). In PA, the median CRP level was significantly higher than that of AA (158mg/l vs 30mg, p<0.0001). CRP also showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and negative predictive value (100%) for PA. CRP had the highest diagnostic accuracy in PA (AUC: 0.9322) and this was increased when it was combined with WCC (AUC: 0.9388). Bilirubin added no diagnostic value in PA. Normal levels of WCC, CRP and bilirubin could not rule out appendicitis. Conclusions CRP provides the highest diagnostic accuracy for PA. Bilirubin did not provide any discriminatory value for AA and its complications. Normal inflammatory markers cannot exclude appendicitis, which remains a clinical diagnosis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin-Hong Geng ◽  
Zhe Zhang ◽  
Jun-Jun Zhang ◽  
Bo Huang ◽  
Zui-Shuang Guo ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective. To construct a novel nomogram model that predicts the risk of hyperuricemia incidence in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) . Methods. Demographic and clinicopathological characteristics of 1184 IgAN patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University Hospital were collected. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to screen out hyperuricemia risk factors. The risk factors were used to establish a predictive nomogram model. The performance of the nomogram model was evaluated using an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration plots, and a decision curve analysis. Results. Independent predictors for hyperuricemia incidence risk included sex, hypoalbuminemia, hypertriglyceridemia, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 24-hour urinaryprotein (24h TP), Gross and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (T). The nomogram model exhibited moderate prediction ability with an AUC of 0.834 ((95% CI 0.804–0.864)). The AUC from validation reached 0.787 (95% CI 0.736-0.839). The decision curve analysis displayed that the hyperuricemia risk nomogram was clinically applicable.Conclusion. Our novel and simple nomogram containing 8 factors may be useful in predicting hyperuricemia incidence risk in IgAN.


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