Neopterin and RANTES content in serum of patients with infiltrative and disseminated tuberculosis

The problem of tuberculosis (TB) remains a priority in public health worldwide and in the Russian Federation. Approaches to diagnosis and treatment are being improved. There are scientific background for using neopterin and RANTES as integral indicators of TB current severity, but more research is need in this area. Objective. To study RANTES and neopterin content in blood serum of patients with destructive infiltrative and disseminated TB to distinguish a group of patients with acute progression. Material and methods. The content of neopterin and RANTES in 72 patients with destructive infiltrative and disseminated TB and 30 healthy donors was studied by enzyme immunoassay. The TB patients were divided into 2 groups: 36 patients with acute progression and 36 patients without signs of acute progression. Results. The serum levels of neopterin and RANTES were significantly increased in patients with infiltrative and disseminated TB. Herewith the level of increase correlates with the severity of the progression. The increase of neopterin was found to correlate with the infiltration area and destruction size as well as with the increase of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). RANTES increase correlated with infiltration area, destruction size and ESR. Conclusion. The results of the study allow to consider increase of neopterin and RANTES contents as additional objective criteria of acute progression of infiltrative and disseminated TB.