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Diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in neutropenic children with cancer by determination of D-arabinitol/L-arabinitol ratios in urine

Author

Summary, in English

Determination of D-arabinitol/L-arabinitol ratios (referred to as D/L-arabinitol ratios) in urine as a tool for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis was investigated in a prospective study comprising 100 children with cancer. The analyses were made by gas chromatography. Positive D/L-arabinitol ratios were found for 10 of 10 children with confirmed invasive candidiasis, 12 of 23 patients undergoing empiric antifungal chemotherapy, and 4 of 67 children not receiving antifungal treatment. D/L-Arabinitol ratios were positive 3 to 31 days (median, 12 days) before the first culture-positive blood sample was drawn or empiric therapy was initiated. The regular monitoring of D/L-arabinitol ratios in urine holds great promise as a sensitive method for diagnosing invasive candidiasis in immunocompromised children with cancer. Moreover, it may be possible to use an early rise in D/L-arabinitol ratios as a basis for the institution of antifungal chemotherapy and as a means of avoiding unnecessary treatment with potentially toxic antifungal agents.

Publishing year

1997

Language

English

Pages

636-640

Publication/Series

Journal of Clinical Microbiology

Volume

35

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Society for Microbiology

Topic

  • Microbiology in the medical area

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1098-660X