Serial study of C-reactive protein during fungal esophagitis and enterocolitis

Abstract

C-reactive protein (CRP) responses were followed in weekly serum samples in the course of eight episodes of esophagitis (37 sera) and ten episodes of enterocolitis (45 sera) caused by Candida albicans in an equal number of patients with hematologic malignancies under antibacterial medication. During fungal esophagitis CRP was elevated, with peak values ranging from 73 to 380 mg/l (mean +/- SD: 170 +/- 104 mg/l). The same was true for fungal enterocolitis, with the peak values ranging from 54 to 225 mg/l (mean +/- SD: 146 +/- 56 mg/l). In both these conditions, antimycotic treatment was followed by clinical improvement, reduced or eliminated fungal growth and falling levels of CRP, occasionally down to the normal value (less than 6 mg/l). Thus, follow-up of CRP level is useful as an aid in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal candidosis and in evaluating its treatment.