Prognostic Value of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and C-Reactive Protein in the Blood of Patients with Glioma

Aim: To determine any correlation between inflammation parameters in blood glioma patients, with some of the established glioma biomarkers and to evaluate the possible prognostic impact of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) for patient survival. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated ESR values in 94 patients and measured CRP values prior to the excision of primary glioma in 165 patients. Overall survival probabilities were determined separately for all patients with glioma in low-grade glioma (LGG), high-grade (HGG) and in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) using the Kaplan-Meier log-rank test. The correlation between blood ESR and CRP values and between immunohistochemical (IHC) assessment of cluster of differentiation-68 (CD68), cathepsin B and nestin were evaluated. Results: An ESR above 15 mm/h was significant for poor survival prognosis for patients overall (p<0.001) and in the HGG (p<0.01) and GBM (p<0.04) subgroups. A serum CRP level above 5 mg/l was also identified as prognostic in patients overall (p<0.01), and in the HGG (p=0.02) and GBM (p=0.04) subgroups. Conclusion: Correlations of ESR and serum levels of CRP have been revealed with prognostic tissue biomarkers i.e. cathepsin B, nestin, CD68. Moreover, preoperative measurement of both parameters could be used for survival prognosis in patients with glioma.