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The diagnostic value of apolipoprotein E in pediatric patients with invasive bacterial infections
Chuanqing Wang1, Yi Wang, Aimin Wang
1The Clinical Microbiology Lab, Department of Nosocomial Infection Control, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China.
Insights
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) shows promise as a diagnostic marker for invasive bacterial infections in children. Elevated ApoE levels in cerebrospinal fluid and serum can help identify serious conditions like meningitis and sepsis.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Diagnostics
Background:
- Invasive bacterial infections pose a significant threat to pediatric health.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes.
- Novel biomarkers are needed to enhance diagnostic capabilities in pediatric infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the diagnostic utility of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) in identifying invasive bacterial infections in children.
- To determine the correlation between ApoE levels and specific infections such as bacterial meningitis and sepsis.
- To establish optimal cutoff values for ApoE in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for diagnostic purposes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 185 pediatric patients was studied, comprising 94 with confirmed infections and 91 controls.
- Serum and CSF samples were analyzed for ApoE concentrations using immunoturbidimetry.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to evaluate diagnostic performance.
Main Results:
- ApoE levels were significantly elevated in CSF of patients with bacterial meningitis.
- Serum ApoE levels were markedly higher in children with sepsis or bacterial meningitis compared to other infections or healthy controls.
- Optimal diagnostic thresholds were identified: >1.7 mg/L in CSF (85% sensitivity, 100% specificity) and >42 mg/L in serum (80% sensitivity, 93% specificity).
Conclusions:
- Apolipoprotein E serves as a potential novel biomarker for diagnosing invasive bacterial infections in pediatric patients.
- ApoE measurements, particularly in CSF and serum, offer valuable diagnostic information for critical pediatric infections.
- This study highlights the clinical relevance of ApoE in the diagnostic landscape of pediatric infectious diseases.
Objective:
To evaluate the potential diagnostic value of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) measurements in pediatric patients with invasive bacterial infections.
Design And Method:
A total of 185 pediatric patients were enrolled in this study, including 94 patients with confirmable infections and 91 patients without confirmable infections. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ApoE levels were measured by immunoturbidimetry. The diagnostic values of ApoE were evaluated by the receiver operating curve (ROC) method.
Results:
ApoE levels in CSF were significantly increased in patients with bacterial meningitis, and serum ApoE was markedly elevated in patients with sepsis or with bacterial meningitis compared with patients with other infections and uninfected children. The optimal ApoE cutoff value for CSF was >1.7 mg/L with 85% sensitivity and 100% specificity and was >42 mg/L in serum with 80% sensitivity and 93% specificity.
Conclusion:
ApoE detection provided a novel diagnostic marker for invasive bacterial infections in pediatric patients.
