Serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are important indicators in hidradenitis suppurativa

The relation between C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A in patients with autoinflammatory diseases

BACKGROUND

Autoinflammatory diseases are rare disorders of the innate immune system characterized by fever and other signs of inflammation. A feared complication of autoinflammatory diseases is the development of AA amyloidosis. AA amyloidosis is caused by extracellular deposition of soluble serum amyloid A (SAA) proteins as insoluble amyloid fibrils leading to organ damage. Prolonged high levels of SAA are a prerequisite to develop AA amyloidosis. Since measurement of SAA is relatively expensive and sometimes unavailable, C-reactive protein (CRP) is often used as a surrogacy marker to test for inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this research is to evaluate the possible relation between CRP and SAA.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of patients with autoinflammatory diseases (n = 99) where SAA and CRP blood testing was performed in the period between 2015 and 2021 in the University Medical Centre in Groningen was used to investigate the correlation between CRP and SAA.

RESULTS

CRP and SAA have a high correlation (rho = 0.755, p < 0.001). A CRP value below 0.45 mg/L results in 100% sensitivity for SAA below 4 mg/L. CRP below 5 mg/L is a good predictor of SAA below 4 mg/L with 85.4% sensitivity and 83.6% specificity. Only prednisone and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) significantly influence the relation between CRP and log₁₀SAA.

CONCLUSION

There was a significant correlation between CRP and SAA in our retrospective cohort. CRP levels below 5 mg/L proved to be highly predictive of SAA levels below 4 mg/L. This may not be true for patients on steroids.

Serum inflammatory markers and leukocyte profiles accurately describe hidradenitis suppurativa disease severity

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory markers and leukocyte profiles have not been longitudinally evaluated as objective signs of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) severity. We sought to assess C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and leukocyte profiles as reliable indicators of HS severity.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of 404 patients seen at the Einstein/Montefiore HS Center, Bronx, New York, between March 2019 and November 2020. Associations of disease severity (HS-Physician Global Assessment) with inflammatory markers and leukocyte profiles were assessed by odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) incorporating up to four visits per patient, adjusting for baseline gender, age, BMI, and smoking status.

RESULTS

Patients with severe disease had elevated CRP (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.49, 2.34), ESR (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.03, 1.04), IL-6 (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.00, 1.16), leukocytes (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.14, 1.31), neutrophils (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.20, 1.42), eosinophils (OR 14.40; 95% CI 2.97, 69.74), basophils (OR 2.53; 95% CI 1.09, 5.85), monocytes (OR 5.36; 95% CI 2.49, 11.53), and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.35, 1.96) but decreased lymphocytes (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.68, 1.10).

CONCLUSIONS

This novel longitudinal study of inflammatory markers and leukocyte profiles offers critical laboratory measures to confirm clinically determined disease severity over time.

What's Race Got to Do With It? CRP Levels in Immune Mediated Skin Diseases: Considerations for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Currently, there is a lack of racial/ethnic heterogeneity in research databases, exposing a systematic issue in studies exploring inflammation-mediated diseases, such as hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that disrupts normal structure and functioning of terminal hair follicles, resulting in the formation of recurrent abscesses, nodules, and sinus tracts within intertriginous regions. Studies have described higher serum levels of inflammation-mediated C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with HS, a disease that predominantly affects skin of color (SOC) populations. Herein, we explore the role of CRP levels in the context of HS disease presentation, management, and psychosocial implications in SOC patients to determine existing disparities in research studies.

Identification of Biomarkers and Critical Evaluation of Biomarker Validation in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Systematic Review

Importance

The identification and validation of biomarkers in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) has potential to improve the understanding and management of this chronic, burdensome disease.

Objective

To systematically identify all known HS biomarkers, categorize them by biomarker type, and critically evaluate their validity according to established criteria.

Evidence Review

Eligibility criteria for this review (PROSPERO Registration 230830) included randomized clinical trials, uncontrolled clinical trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, and other observational studies with no restrictions of patient age, sex, race or ethnicity, or language of publication up until December 31, 2020. All articles were categorized into biomarker type, defined using the US Food and Drug Administration Biomarkers, Endpoints, and other Tools (BEST) glossary. Assessment of each identified biomarker was undertaken in line with the US Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency guidelines for the validation of proposed biomarkers. Assessment of the strength of overall data regarding individual biomarkers was undertaken using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach.

Findings

A total of 3953 nonduplicate articles were screened, of which 1429 articles were retrieved based on the include/exclusion criteria applied. After full-text screen and data extraction, 106 articles were included in this review. The evidence of strength of 6 categories of biomarkers (susceptibility/risk, diagnostic, monitoring, predictive, prognostic, and pharmacodynamic/response biomarkers) was assessed using GRADE criteria. A total of 48 biomarkers were identified with a minimum GRADE rating of moderate. Only 1 diagnostic (serum IL-2R), 1 monitoring (dermal Doppler vascularity), and 2 predictive biomarkers (epithelialized tunnels and positive family history of HS) achieved a GRADE rating of high. None of the identified biomarkers had sufficient clinical validity to be recommended for routine use in the clinical setting.

Conclusions and Relevance

Major barriers to the identification, validation, and introduction of routine biomarkers in the management of HS include lack of independent biomarker validation studies (especially assumption-free "omics"-based techniques); insufficient assessment of collinearity between identified or proposed biomarkers; and a lack of routine integration of biomarkers into the structure of clinical trials. International consensus among researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical stakeholders is required to standardize goals and methods and encourage biomarker integration into future HS clinical trials. This systematic review presents a number of priorities for near-term future research to overcome such barriers and limitations of biomarkers in HS.

Trends in the management of hidradenitis suppurativa in the Middle East region: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, painful, and severely debilitating inflammatory disease that affects apocrine gland-bearing skin. There is no universal consensus on the management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Current available guidelines are from western countries, which may be of limited use in other parts of the world. In this study, we aim to identify trends in the management of HS in the Middle East (ME) and its differences with the West.

METHODS

A systematic literature review was performed to identify all studies in HS management performed by experts in the ME from database inception to June 2020 using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. Only original articles published in English language were included. Guidelines from western countries were used for comparison.

RESULTS

Fifty-four eligible studies comprising 7649 HS patients from the ME region and nine guidelines from the West were included. No established guidelines were found for the management of HS in the ME. Sex ratio of HS patients in the ME is different in that men reported to be affected at a higher rate than in the West. Different antibiotic regimens were recommended in the ME, and the experts in the ME tend to be more procedure intensive than experts in the West.

CONCLUSIONS

Establishing a guideline for HS management in the ME is recommended to address unique considerations in the countries in this region.