Determination of serum arabinitol levels by mass spectrometry in patients with postoperative candidiasis

A combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was used for serial determination of serum arabinitol levels in patients with postoperative candidiasis. Forty subjects were investigated, 18 patients with candidiasis, 7 patients with superficial Candida colonization and 15 postopera...

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Veröffentlicht in:European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases 1993-05, Vol.12 (5), p.330-335
Hauptverfasser: LEHTONEN, L, RANTALA, A, OKSMAN, P, EEROLA, E, LEHTONEN, O. P
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:A combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique was used for serial determination of serum arabinitol levels in patients with postoperative candidiasis. Forty subjects were investigated, 18 patients with candidiasis, 7 patients with superficial Candida colonization and 15 postoperative control patients. The arabinitol levels were highly elevated, slightly elevated and normal in 13, 1 and 4 patients respectively with candidiasis; in 2, 2 and 3 colonized patients and in 1, 1 and 13 control patients (p < 0.001, chi 2, between all the groups). The sensitivity of a single arabinitol determination for detection of postoperative candidiasis was 27.6 % and the specificity 89.2 %. Use of multiple samples improved sensitivity up to 72.2% per patient (123 samples) with a specificity of 86.4 %. Highly elevated arabinitol concentrations were detected in only one patient before the onset of therapy. Determination of arabinitol levels by GC-MS is a specific test for diagnosing candidiasis, but multiple samples are required for adequate sensitivity, and the initiation of therapy must still be on an empirical basis.
ISSN:0934-9723
1435-4373
DOI:10.1007/BF01964428