Kwofie, Luyanda Laura IlliciaRapoport, Bernardo LeonFickl, HeidiMeyer, Pieter Willem AdriaanRheeder, PaulHlope, H.Anderson, RonaldTintinger, Gregory Ronald2012-07-202012-07-202012-04Kwofie, L, Rapoport, BL, Fickl, H, Meyer, PWA, Rheeder, P, Hlope, H, Anderson, R & Tintinger, GR 2012, 'Evaluation of circulating soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) to predict risk profile, response to antimicrobial therapy, and development of complications in patients with chemotherapy-associated febrile neutropenia : a pilot', Annals of Hematology, vol. 91, no.4, pp. 605-611, doi: 10.1007/s00277-011-1339-4.0939-5555 (print)1432-0584 (online)10.1007/s00277-011-1339-4http://hdl.handle.net/2263/19472The soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) is a useful marker of infection in patients with sepsis, but has not been adequately evaluated in patients with chemotherapy-associated febrile neutropenia (FN). The value of sTREM-1 in this setting has been tested in a retrospective, pilot study using stored serum from 48 cancer patients with documented FN. On presentation, patients were categorized according to the Talcott risk-index clinical score. Circulating soluble sTREM-1 was measured using an ELISA procedure, while procalcitonin (PCT) or interleukins 6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8), included for comparison, were measured using an immunoluminescence-based assay and Bio-Plex suspension bead array system, respectively. Circulating concentrations of both sTREM-1 and PCT were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in patients at high risk for complications or death, as predicted by the Talcott score and were significantly lower in patients who responded to empiric antimicrobial agents. Neither IL-6 nor IL-8 accurately predicted serious complications in patients with FN. These observations, albeit from a pilot study, demonstrate that sTREM-1 is indeed elevated in high-risk patients with FN and is potentially useful to predict their clinical course, either together with, or as an alternative to PCT.en© Springer-Verlag 2011. The original publication is available at www.springerlink.comFebrile neutropenia (FN)Soluble TREM-1Talcott scoreProcalcitoninPostprint Article