Dried blood spot IP-10 predicts tuberculosis severity and treatment response, showing earlier decline with good outcomes

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health challenge, often leading to severe hyperinflammation that complicates outcomes despite standard antimicrobial therapy. Host-directed therapies (HDTs) like anti-inflammatory agents are being explored to modulate these immune responses and improve patient prognosis. However, effective and easily accessible biomarkers are critically needed to monitor disease severity and predict treatment success, especially in resource-limited settings. Current diagnostic and monitoring tools often lack the sensitivity or practicality for widespread use, creating a significant gap in personalized TB management. IP-10, a chemokine, is a promising candidate due to its role in immune activation.

Researchers quantified IP-10 levels longitudinally in dried blood spot (DBS) samples from 120 pulmonary TB patients enrolled in the SMA-TB clinical trial (NCT04575519). Patients received adjunctive acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or ibuprofen (IBU) alongside standard TB therapy. Samples were collected at baseline, week 2, week 8, and week 24. IP-10 levels were analyzed using ELISA. The study assessed associations between IP-10 levels and disease severity, treatment response, and evaluated its predictive value for microbiological, clinical, and radiological outcomes.