Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33413198›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021

Increased mRNA expression of key cytokines among suspected cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii infection.

Mohammad Y Alshahrani, Mohammed Alfaifi, Mesfer Al Shahrani, Abdulaziz S Alshahrani, Ali G Alkhathami, Ayed A Dera, Irfan Ahmad, Shadma Wahab, Mirza M A Beg, Ali Hakamy and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 24% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. T-cell subsets inClinical & translational immunology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Mohammad Y AlshahraniDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed AlfaifiDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Mesfer Al ShahraniDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulaziz S AlshahraniDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Najran University, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
Ali G AlkhathamiDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Ayed A DeraDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Irfan AhmadDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Shadma WahabDepartment of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Mirza M A BegDepartment of Biochemistry, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Ali HakamyRespiratory Therapy Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed E HamidDepartment of Microbiology and Clinical Parasitology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. mehamid3@gmail.com.
King Khalid University · SAJazan University · SAMaulana Azad Medical College · INNajran University · SA

Funding

Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University G.R.P2/78-40
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a fatal infectious disease caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii (PJP). The major factor relevant to morbidity and mortality seems to be the host inflammatory reaction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 cytokine mRNA expression among suspected P. jirovecii infection.

methodsThis was a cross-sectional analytical study undertaken in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. One hundred suspected PCP cases and 100 healthy controls were included in the study. Basic clinical manifestations, radiological findings, microbiological and immunological findings were extracted from the hospital records from January 2019 to August 2019, Pneumocystis detection was done by immune-fluorescent staining (IFAT, Gomorimethanamine silver staining (GMSS), Giemsa staining, Toluidine blue O (TBO), and Pneumocystis RT-PCR.

resultsIncreased more than 5 fold, 3 fold, 4 fold, and 7 fold of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 mRNA expression were observed in PCP cases compared to controls. Higher expression of IL-2 mRNA was connected with crept, wheezing and chest X-ray findings like central perihilar infiltrate, patchy infiltrate, consolidation, hilar lymphadenopathy, pneumothorax, pleural effusion which showed higher expression compared to counterpart (p< 0.0001). Higher expression of IL-4 mRNA was found to be significantly associated with weight loss (p=0.002), dyspnea (p=0.003), crept (p=0.01), and chest X-ray findings (p< 0.0001). Significantly increased expression of IL-10 mRNA was observed to be associated with weight loss, dyspnea, night sweats, wheezing, and different findings of chest X-ray compared to their counterparts, whereas, IL-13 mRNA was observed in cases with fever. Suspected cases of PCP confirmed positive by IFTA with higher IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 mRNA expression compared to negative cases. RT-PCR confirmed PCP cases had significantly higher expression of IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 as well as IL-13 mRNA compared to negative cases. Positive detected cases by GMSS showed higher IL-2, IL-10 mRNA expression, while Giemsa showed only higher IL-4 mRNA expression compared to negative cases.

conclusionConfirmed cases of P. jirovecii showed higher IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13 mRNA expression comparatively to negative cases. Increased expression of cytokines may be indicative of infection severity and could help in patients' management.

Indexed as

AdultAzure StainsCase-Control StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesCytokinesFemaleFluorescent Antibody TechniqueGene ExpressionHumansInterleukin-10Interleukin-13Interleukin-2Interleukin-4MaleMiddle AgedPneumocystis cariniiAzure StainsCytokinesIL10 protein, humanIL13 protein, humanIL2 protein, humanIL4 protein, humanInterleukin-10Interleukin-13Interleukin-2Interleukin-4RNA, MessengerTolonium ChlorideImmune-compromisedImmune-fluorescent stainingInterleukins (ILs)PCRSaudi Arabia

Identifiers

PMID33413198
PMCPMC7792013
OpenAlexW3102565674

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.