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Pentraxin 3 as a Potential Biomarker of Invasive Fusariosis in Onco-Haematological Patients
Larissa Simão Gandolpho1, Elaine Cristina Francisco1,2, Giovanni Luis Breda3
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Escola Paulista de Medicina-Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Objectives:
This study aimed to evaluate the clinical use of pentraxin 3 serum level as a biomarker for screening episodes of invasive fusariosis among high-risk onco-haematological patients.
Methods:
We analysed 63 serum samples from patients with invasive mould diseases and controls, which had been collected between 2009 and 2021 and stored at the Special Mycology Laboratory of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil. Material included samples from eight patients with invasive fusariosis, nine with invasive aspergillosis, and control groups comprising 20 healthy individuals, eight neutropenic patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, and eight allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients without any concomitant infection, and 10 neutropenic individuals who developed a microbiologically documented gram-negative bacteremia. PTX3 levels were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics v.28.0, California USA.
Results:
The optimal PTX3 detection threshold was established at 10 pg/mL, with the highest levels observed in patients with invasive aspergillosis (5532.8 pg/mL) and invasive fusariosis (3718.1 pg/mL). Healthy controls revealed PTX3 levels ranging from 109.9 to 385.7 pg/mL. Significant differences were noted among all groups (p < 0.001), with PTX3 levels exceeding 1000 pg/mL exclusively in patients with IMDs. Notably, high PTX3 serum levels were detected in four out of the eight samples that had been collected 1-5 days before the diagnosis of fusariosis by culture.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that serum PTX3 quantification holds significant potential for screening patients with suspected invasive fusariosis among onco-haematological patients, similar to its role in invasive aspergillosis.
Insights
Serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3) shows promise for screening invasive fusariosis in onco-haematological patients. Elevated PTX3 levels can be detected days before culture confirms the infection, aiding early diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Medical Mycology
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Onco-hematology
Background:
- Invasive fusariosis is a serious fungal infection in immunocompromised patients.
- Early diagnosis of invasive fusariosis is crucial for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes.
- Current diagnostic methods can be slow, necessitating the search for sensitive biomarkers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical utility of serum pentraxin 3 (PTX3) levels as a biomarker for screening invasive fusariosis.
- To compare PTX3 levels in patients with invasive fusariosis to those with invasive aspergillosis and other control groups.
- To determine the potential of PTX3 for early detection of invasive fusariosis in high-risk patients.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 63 serum samples from patients with invasive mould diseases and controls.
- Samples collected between 2009-2021 from the Special Mycology Laboratory, Brazil.
- Quantification of PTX3 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Main Results:
- An optimal PTX3 detection threshold was set at 10 pg/mL.
- Highest PTX3 levels were observed in invasive aspergillosis (5532.8 pg/mL) and invasive fusariosis (3718.1 pg/mL).
- Elevated PTX3 levels (>1000 pg/mL) were exclusively found in patients with invasive mould diseases (IMDs).
- High PTX3 levels were detected in 4/8 samples 1-5 days prior to fusariosis culture diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Serum PTX3 quantification is a potential biomarker for screening invasive fusariosis in onco-haematological patients.
- PTX3 shows similar potential for screening invasive fusariosis as it does for invasive aspergillosis.
- These findings support the use of PTX3 for earlier detection of invasive fusariosis.
