Predictive value of C-reactive protein for tuberculosis, bloodstream infection or death
Among HIV-infected individuals with chronic, non-specific symptoms and negative sputum smear microscopy
Abstract
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory biomarker that may identify patients at risk of infections or death. Mortality among HIV-infected persons commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART) is often attributed to tuberculosis (TB) or bloodstream infections (BSI). methods In 2 district hospitals in southern Malawi, we recruited HIV-infected adults with one or more unexplained symptoms present for at least one month (weight loss, fever or diarrhoea) and negative expectorated sputum microscopy for TB. CRP determination for 452 of 469 (96%) participants at study enrolment was analysed for associations with TB, BSI or death to 120 days post-enrolment.
This research was supported by the UK Department for International Development’s Operational Research Capacity Building Programme led by the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union)
Citation
Bedell RA, van Lettow M, Meaney C, Corbett EL, Chan AK, Heyderman RS, Anderson ST, Åkesson A, Kumwenda M, Zachariah R, Harries AD, Ramsay AR. Predictive value of C-reactive protein for tuberculosis, bloodstream infection or death among HIV-infected individuals with chronic, non-specific symptoms and negative sputum smear microscopy. Trop. Med. Int. Heal. [Internet]. 2018;23(3):254–62. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/tmi.13025