Differences in biomarker concentrations in serum and urine of patients with Ocular Tuberculosis - A prospective descriptive study

Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2023 Jan:138:102290. doi: 10.1016/j.tube.2022.102290. Epub 2022 Dec 5.

Abstract

Purpose: To describe biomarker concentrations in serum and urine of South African patients with ocular tuberculosis (OTB).

Methods: A prospective study to compare 29 urine and serum biomarkers in 14 OTB patients at a tertiary eye clinic.

Results: Median age of participants (7 male and 7 female) was 38.5 years (range 25-73) Most biomarker concentrations were significantly higher in serum than in urine (p < 0.01). Only 2 (IL-1RA and IL-2) showed higher concentrations in urine than serum (p < 0.01). Three biomarkers (sIL-2Ra, sTNFRI and IFNγ) showed no difference in concentration between urine and serum (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Most biomarkers tested showed significant differences in concentration between serum and urine and therefore these 2 biofluids cannot be used interchangeably when studying biomarker profiles. One notable exception is IFNγ as its concentration did not differ between serum and urine.

Keywords: Biomarker; Ocular tuberculosis; Serum; South Africa; Urine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers / urine
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I
  • Tuberculosis, Ocular* / diagnosis

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Interferon-gamma
  • IL2RA protein, human
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I