Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture into serum and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) monovettes® (SARSTEDT AG & Co.; Nümbrecht, Germany). Within 30 min all blood samples were centrifuged at 2500×g at 20 °C for 10 min. Plasma and serum were separated and aliquoted. The aliquoted samples were cooled down with liquid nitrogen before being stored at -80 °C until Analysis.
PTX-3 measurements were performed with the Quantikine® Human Pentraxin 3/TSG-14 Immunoassay (R&D Systems Inc., Minneapolis, USA) using plasma from EDTA monovettes®. IL-6 and PCT were measured in serum. IL-6 was measured with reagents from Roche Diagnostics (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) and PCT was measured with reagents from Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher Scientific Clinical Diagnostics, BRAHMS GmbH, Henningsdorf, Germany). The assays were performed on a Cobas e601 twin module and on a Cobas e602 module (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). Interleukin-6 and PCT measurements were performed at the central laboratory in Nuremberg, Germany.
PTX-3 measurements were performed with the Quantikine® Human Pentraxin 3/TSG-14 Immunoassay (R&D Systems Inc., Minneapolis, USA) using plasma from EDTA monovettes®. IL-6 and PCT were measured in serum. IL-6 was measured with reagents from Roche Diagnostics (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) and PCT was measured with reagents from Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher Scientific Clinical Diagnostics, BRAHMS GmbH, Henningsdorf, Germany). The assays were performed on a Cobas e601 twin module and on a Cobas e602 module (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). Interleukin-6 and PCT measurements were performed at the central laboratory in Nuremberg, Germany.