PREDICTIVE VALUE OF SERUM-III PROCOLLAGEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY INVOLVEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH SCLERODERMA

Citation
E. Diot et al., PREDICTIVE VALUE OF SERUM-III PROCOLLAGEN FOR DIAGNOSIS OF PULMONARY INVOLVEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH SCLERODERMA, The European respiratory journal, 8(9), 1995, pp. 1559-1565
Citations number
33
Categorie Soggetti
Respiratory System
ISSN journal
09031936
Volume
8
Issue
9
Year of publication
1995
Pages
1559 - 1565
Database
ISI
SICI code
0903-1936(1995)8:9<1559:PVOSPF>2.0.ZU;2-B
Abstract
High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was recently demonstrated t o be as good as open lung biopsy for the diagnosis of pulmonary involv ement in patients with scleroderma Nevertheless, in view of its price and related irradiation, HRCT cannot be recommended as a screening tes t, Serum III procollagen (sPIIINP) is an aminopropeptide of type III c ollagen, which is released during conversion into collagen by specific proteases. Increased levels of sPIIINP have been observed in patients with scleroderma The aim of the present study was to assess the relat ionship between sPIIINP measurement and pulmonary involvement defined according to HRCT and pulmonary function tests (PFT) with single-breat h carbon monoxide transfer capacity (TL,CO) in 28 patients suffering f rom scleroderma. Patients were divided into two groups for analysis. G roup A comprising 16 patients without pulmonary scleroderma and Group B comprising 12 patients with pulmonary scleroderma. All patients had stable cutaneous disease and normal renal and hepatic function. The le vel of sPIIINP was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA-gnost P-III-P, Prod. Nr. ODMT; Behring, Marburg, Germany). Mean+/-sD sPIIINP level in Group A was 0.85+/-0.1 U . mL(-1).Individual values ranged 0.6-13 U . mL(-1). Mean+/-sD sPIIINP value was 1.30-0.40 U . mL(-1) in Group B a nd individual values ranged 0.7-1.9 U . mL(-1). The difference in mean sPIIINP level between Group A and Group B was significant. Using a cu t-off at 1.1 U . mL(-1), sensitivity of sPIIINP was 0.66, specificity 0.94, positive predictive value 0.89, negative predictive value 0.79, false positive rate 0.06, and false negative rate 033, The value of sP IIINP correlated with HRCT score but not with PFT. This study confirms the relationship between sPIIINP and scleroderma with interstitial lu ng disease. We suggest that sPIIINP could be measured in patients with scleroderma to screen those patients requiring HRCT. Further studies are necessary to determine the value of sPIIINP in terms of prognosis and follow-up of patients under treatment.