Predictive value of high sensitive C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in patients with brucellosis

Brucellosis is an inflammatory disease that may affect any organs or systems, and may present with various nonspecific clinical manifestations. Because of the obstacles in the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of brucellosis, there is a need to identify specific, practical and reliable diagnostic markers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of novel and traditional inflammatory markers for the diagnosis of brucellosis.

The demographic characteristics and laboratory results of 55 patients with confirmed brucellosis and 60 healthy controls were analyzed and compared. Blood culture was performed using BacT/ALERT 3D (bioMérieux, France) automated system. The presence of Brucella antibodies was detected by both Brucellacapt test (Vircell, Granada, Spain) and Brucella Coombs gel test (Across Gel, Dia Pro, Turkey). Complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and biochemical analyzes were also performed.

Compared with healthy controls, the patients with brucellosis had significantly higher high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), hsCRP to albumin ratio (CAR), ESR, monocyte, monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR), aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine levels, and significantly lower mean platelet volume, lymphocyte to monocyte ratio, albumin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, hemoglobin, red blood cell distribution width, platelet, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, glucose, alanine aminotransaminase, blood urea nitrogen, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p>0.05). Positive correlations were observed between CAR, hsCRP, ESR and MHR levels (p<0.05).

This is the first study evaluating the predictive role of CAR and MHR in the diagnosis of brucellosis. The data revealed that CAR and MHR can be used as markers of systemic inflammation in patients with brucellosis. More comprehensive studies are required to support our findings.