Inflammation markers in daily practice
Le Roy, F.; Barbier, S.; Passos, E.M.; Godin, M.
Nephrologie 24(7): 347-350
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-4960 PMID: 14650745 Document Number: 554016
Cardiovascular diseases and infections remain the first mortality causes in ESRD patients. European recommendations for good clinical practice in the hemodialysis field advocate to use the inflammation markers in daily practice. These markers foretell both cardiovascular and global mortality. They also enable to detect the silent infections (parodontitis, Heliobacter pilory infection, shunt infection in PTFE), to make sure of the dialysis biocompatibility (microbiological quality of the dialysate, use of biocompatible membrane). The C-reactive protein is the most current and used marker. Its use, combined with the procalcitonin measurement, specific marker for bacterial infection, would enable the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy improvement.