Serum calprotectin correlates with severity of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Shijie Cai¹Jiahua Zhu¹Zhiye Xu¹Wenqin Chen¹Yue Tao¹Taihong Huang¹Sen Wang^1,2*

• ¹Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China
• ²Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an infectious disease caused by Dabie banda virus (DBV), clinically characterized by fever, thrombocytopenia, and multiple organ dysfunction. Severe cases are often complicated by cytokine storm and have a high mortality rate. Calprotectin (CP), an inflammatory marker predominantly expressed in neutrophils and monocytes, has been closely associated with disease activity and prognosis in various inflammatory conditions. This study aimed to explore the changes in serum calprotectin (sCP) levels and their clinical significance in SFTS patients. Analysis of sCP levels in 60 SFTS patients and 60 healthy controls revealed significantly elevated sCP levels in SFTS patients. Additionally, sCP levels were notably higher in severe cases compared to mild cases and in non-survivors compared to survivors. Further analysis demonstrated positive correlations between sCP levels and viral load, platelet count, various cytokines (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10), and multiple clinical parameters (e.g., CRP, AST, LDH, D-dimer). Moreover, sCP levels were significantly increased in patients with renal injury, hepatic injury, and neurological manifestations. The present study suggests that sCP levels are closely related to disease severity and prognosis, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for diagnosing and prognostic assessment in SFTS patients.