Urinary neopterin in idiopathic retinal vasculitis

Abstract

Aims-To determine whether urinary neopterin:creatinine (UNC) ratios relate to disease activity in idiopathic retinal vasculitis (RV). Methods-18 patients with RV were prospectively recruited into a year long longitudinal study. Patients collected first morning urine samples on a weekly basis and on the same day completed a diary which documented their subjective view of RV activity and any concurrent infection. They were examined in clinic on a 6-8 weekly basis and an objective assessment was made of RV disease activity. 14 healthy controls collected urine samples in the same way. Results-UNC ratios were significantly higher in patients than in controls (p=0.004, Mann-Whitney U test). UNC ratios were significantly higher when, according to their diaries, the patients had a subjective flare up of RV (p=0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Subjective increased RV activity occurred more often when the patients had a concurrent infection (p<0.0001, 2 test). There was no significant diVerence in the UNC ratio between objective clinical relapse and non-relapse of RV. There was moderate agreement between the clinical assessment and patients' subjective impression of RV activity ( =0.48). Conclusions-Higher neopterin levels reflect cell mediated disease that occurs in RV, but UNC ratios are not recommended as a means of monitoring clinical disease activity in RV. (Br J Ophthalmol 2001;85:30-33)

Is there any relationship between serum and urine neopterin and serum interferon‐γ levels in the activity of Behcet's disease?

“…13 In another study, a strong correlation was detected between serum neopterin and CRP in BD. 31 In our study, while a moderate positive correlation was detected in patients between serum neopterin and ESR, no correlation was found between serum neopterin levels and CRP. Nevertheless, a positive moderate correlation between pathergy positivity and serum CRP levels exists in patient group.…”

“…27,30 Investigators point out that measurement of urine neopterin levels could be more meaningful because urine neopterin levels are at least 500-1000 times higher than serum neopterin levels. 31 In active periods of many diseases with inflammation in their course, as neopterin levels rise in body fluids, it can be considered that cell-mediated immunity primarily causes relapse, or factors causing relapse can affect cell-mediated immunity. It was observed that serum neopterin levels of the patients are higher than the control group, but no significant difference of serum neopterin levels was found between active and inactive patients.…”

Evaluation of Neopterin Levels in an Endotoxin-Induced Experimental Uveitis Model

“…Due to this characteristic, it is believed that neopterin can be used as a biochemical activation indicator that supports the clinical findings in the uveitis cases. In a previous study published by Palmer et al, 12 serum levels of NP were found to be higher in patients with retinal vasculitis. On the other hand, the authors did not find a significant increase in urinary neopterin levels in patients with active idiopathic retinal vasculitis flare-ups.…”

“…It has been discussed that the neopterin level shows an increase in the urine and serum when the uveitis cases are clinically active. [10][11][12] In one of these studies, Durukan et al investigated the relationship between urinary neopterin levels and disease activity in patients with different types of uveitis such as Behcet uveitis, non-specific posterior uveitis, and anterior uveitis. In their study, urinary neopterin levels were found to be increased in patients with active uveitis.…”

“…Being an important marker of cellular immunity, NP levels may alter in an E _ IU model because the activation of bactericidal responses is also dependent on monocytes/macrophages inducted by (IFN)-g. 8,9 Although there have been many studies about NP levels in various disorders in the literature, there have been only a few investigations regarding NP levels in uveitis. [10][11][12] To our knowledge, so far there has been no published in-depth report on NP levels in EIU experimental models. The aim of this study is to investigate the neopterin levels of intraocular fluids and serum in an endotoxin-induced uveitis model and discuss the role of NP in EIU.…”