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Factors Influencing Serum Neopterin Concentrations in a Population of Blood Donors

¹ Central Institute for Blood Transfusion, University Clinic Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria;
² Institute of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Leopold-Franzens University, and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for AIDS Research, Fritz Pregl Strasse 3, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria

^aauthor for correspondence

Neopterin, a product of interferon--activated monocytes/macrophages is a sensitive indicator of cell-mediated immune activation (1). In humans, increased concentrations of neopterin in serum and urine have been found during allograft rejection episodes and in various malignant disorders, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections, including HIV type 1 (HIV-1) (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). To improve the safety of blood donations, additional neopterin testing of blood donations became mandatory for all Austrian blood-transfusion services in addition to testing for HIV-1 and -2 antibodies, hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and Treponema pallidum antibodies (9). In the Austrian Tyrol, 900 000 voluntary blood donations have been routinely screened for increased neopterin concentrations since 1986. According to the results of previous studies, the cutoff for neopterin concentrations was set to the 98th percentile, thus tolerating a donation loss of 2% (9).

Although the behavior of neopterin concentrations during the course of acute viral infections, for example, is well known, there are fewer data regarding the association of neopterin concentrations and physiologic findings in a healthy population. In this study, we looked for associations between neopterin concentrations and other laboratory tests that are routinely performed on blood donations at our institute. Associations between neopterin concentrations and physiologic conditions of blood donors obtained during the blood-donation procedure were also investigated.

Blood samples from 1156 consecutive blood donors from the Austrian Tyrol (693 males and 463 females) were collected in January 2001. A questionnaire was administered, which asked about current smoking habits, medical conditions, and use of medications. Of the blood donors, 262 (22.7%) reported being smokers (range of cigarettes smoked daily, 1–50), 56 (4.8%) were taking antihypertensive drugs, and 52 (4.5%) . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Acknowledgments

References

The following articles in journals at HighWire Press have cited this article:

				K. K. Ray, D. A. Morrow, M. S. Sabatine, A. Shui, N. Rifai, C. P. Cannon, and E. Braunwald Long-Term Prognostic Value of Neopterin: A Novel Marker of Monocyte Activation in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Circulation, June 19, 2007; 115(24): 3071 - 3078. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Schennach, C. Murr, C. Larcher, W. Streif, E. Pastner, D. Zaknun, D. Schonitzer, and D. Fuchs Neopterin Concentrations in Cord Blood: A Single-Cohort Study of Paired Samples from 541 Pregnant Women and Their Newborns Clin. Chem., November 1, 2002; 48(11): 2059 - 2061. [Full Text] [PDF]