Ck. Hogdall et al., SERUM TETRANECTIN IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE (PID) - CORRELATION TO CLINICAL AND LABORATORY FINDINGS, Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 74(3), 1995, pp. 203-207
Aim of study. To clarify the impact of the presence of pelvic inflamma
tory disease (PID) and activation of the acute phase response on the s
erum level of tetranectin (Se-TN), a potential new tumor marker for ov
arian cancer. Material and methods. The study group consisted of 70 pa
tients with a laparoscopically verified PID and 47 healthy female cont
rols. Results. Lower Se-TN levels were found for the PID group compare
d to the control group (p<0.0001). It was not possible to relate the d
ecreases in Se-TN levels to any distinct bacterial strain. Neither was
it possible to find any correlation between Se-TN and severity of PID
(p=0.5). A significant positive correlation was found between Se-TN a
nd ALE (p<0.001). A just significant negative correlation was found be
tween Se-TN and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.04), while no correlatio
n was found with any of the other acute phase reactants. Highly signif
icant correlations were found between all the acute phase reactants an
d grade of PID. Conclusions. A slight, but significant reduction in Se
-TN was found in PID patients. The decrease was minor compared to the
reported findings of very low Se-TN levels for ovarian cancer patients
. However, the finding is important in the assessment of TN used as a
potential screening marker for ovarian cancer, or as a diagnostic tool
for pelvic tumors. Furthermore, Se-TN does not seem to behave as a ne
gative acute phase reactant.