Is c-reactive protein a more sensitive and specific marker for diagnosing bacterial infections in systemic lupus erythematosus compared to S100A8/A9 and procalcitonin?
Our data suggest that CRP is the most sensitive and specific marker for diagnosing bacterial infections in SLE.
The finding that female gender may be an independent predictor for pronounced femoropopliteal involvement and more severe and diffuse atherosclerotic disease in CLI may be of particular relevance for early detection and for choosing distinct treatment strategies in women compared with men. Further studies are warranted, especially on confounding risk factors that might be different in men and women and their possible association with lesion morphology in patients with critical limb ischemia.