This study investigated the diagnostic significance of urinary deoxypyridinoline measurement as a screening tool for spinal tuberculosis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.Urinary deoxypyridinoline levels were measured by automated chemiluminescence immunoassay and automated chemistry methods in patients with spinal (n=33) and pulmonary tuberculosis (n=33) and in healthy controls (n=30). Urinary deoxypyridinoline was divided by urinary creatine to exclude the factors of body mass index and urine dilution. The results underwent validity analysis. The measurements of urinary deoxypyridinoline in the spinal tuberculosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, and control groups were 14.9 ± 9.8, 6.4 ± 2.6, and 6.3 ± 2.0 μmol/molCr, respectively. Compared with the other 2 groups, the urinary deoxypyridinoline level in the spinal tuberculosis group was significantly increased (P=.001 and P=.000, respectively). However, urinary deoxypyridinoline levels were not significantly different between the pulmonary tuberculosis and control groups (P=.751). The receiver operating characteristic curve in the spinal tuberculosis group was 0.83. For deoxypyridinoline, the sensitivity (88%) and specificity (95%) were seen at the cutoff level of 8.0 μmol/molCr. The false positive and false negative were 12% and 5%, respectively. Diagnostic validity of the method was 93%.Bone metabolism alteration occurs during the progression of spinal tuberculosis, which can be reflected by the sensitivity and specificity of urinary deoxypyridinoline. The detection of urinary deoxypyridinoline is a benefit of screening patients with pulmonary tuberculosis for spinal tuberculosis.
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