Lower circulating levels of soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) and chromium in treated Brucella infection

Brucellosis is a common infectious disease around the globe. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of brucellosis on the serum levels of chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) as well as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and homocysteine in patients suffering from brucellosis. The present case-control study was executed on 40 treated brucellosis patients (case) and 40 healthy individuals (control). Blood samples were obtained from all the participants for the measurement of the desired indices. The serum levels of chromium in the case group (0.109±0.025 μg/L) was significantly lower compared with that in the control group (0.121±0.027 μg/L, P=0.047). The levels of lead in serum were almost unchanged between the two groups (12.58±1.94 vs. 12.28±2.42 μg/dL, P=0.533). The sTWEAK levels were significantly lower in the case group as compared to the control subjects (235.20±48.45 pg/mL vs. 262.00±67.25 pg/mL, P=0.044). The levels of hs-CRP were significantly higher in the case group (2.23±0.34 mg/L) than that in the control group (2.05±0.32 mg/L, P=0.016); similarly, homocysteine levels were higher in the serum of patients in case group as compared to the control ones (16.18±4.47 µmol/L vs. 14.36±3.06 µmol/L, P=0.038). The current investigation underlined that brucellosis causes alterations in serum chromium and sTWEAK levels, the markers that are considered as the predictors of cardiovascular disease.