Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes of serum levels of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP-4), haptoglobin (HP), proline peptidase (PEPD) and peptidoglycan recognition protein 2 (PGLYRP2) and their relationship with anti-tuberculosis efficacy in patients infected with drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
METHODS From Aug. 2020 to Sep. 2023, total 191 patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis admitted in Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital of Hubei Province (Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Institute) were selected as the drug-resistant group and further divided into 117 cases of the negative conversion group and 74 cases of the non-negative conversion group according to the sputum results within 2 months. Another 191 patients with non-drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis were selected as the non-drug-resistant group. Levels of RBP-4, HP, PEPD and PGLYRP2 were compared among the groups, their correlations with drug-resistant M. tuberculosis infection were analyzed by Spearman, and their combined predictive value for the anti-tuberculosis efficacy was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.
RESULTS Compared with the non-drug resistant group, RBP-4 level was low (13.62±2.74)μg/ml and HP, PEPD and PGLYRP2 levels were high (2.86±0.47)g/L, (1573.53±169.15)U/L and (563.29±64.20)pg/ml, respectively in the drug resistant group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the non-negative conversion subgroup, RBP-4 level increased and the levels of HP, PEPD and PGLYRP2 decreased in the negative conversion group (all P < 0.05). RBP-4 level was negatively correlated with the infection of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis, while the levels of HP, PEPD and PGLYRP2 were positively correlated (P < 0.05). The AUC value of the combined detection of RBP-4, HP, PEPD and PGLYRP2 was higher than that of single index in the prediction of anti-tuberculosis efficacy (P < 0.05), with the sensitivity and specificity of 87.84% and 84.62%, respectively.
CONCLUSION RBP-4, HP, PEPD and PGLYRP2 express abnormally and are correlated with the infection of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis. Their combined detection has a high predictive value for the anti-tuberculosis efficacy of patients.