title: Elevated serum procalcitonin values correlate with renal scarring in children with urinary tract infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urinary tract infection (UTI) in young children carries the risk of parenchymal damage and sequelae. The location of the infection within the urinary tract influences decisions regarding both therapeutics and follow-up. Because clinical features and laboratory markers of infection at an early age are not specific, it is difficult to make a distinction between lower UTI and acute pyelonephritis. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been studied as a marker of severe bacterial infection. The aim of this study was to test the usefulness of PCT concentration in serum to distinguish between uncomplicated UTI and severe acute pyelonephritis with renal scars.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCT was measured by immunoluminometric assay in serum samples from children with microbiologically documented infection. Severe renal involvement was assessed by 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid gammagraphy done 5 to 6 months after the episode to check for the presence of parenchymal scars. C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocyte count were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCT at presentation showed a significant correlation (P < 0.001) with the presence of renal scars in children with UTI. Using a cutoff of 1 ng/ml for PCT and 20 mg/l for CRP, sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between urinary tract infection with and without renal damage were 92.3 and 61.9%, respectively, for PCT and 92.3 and 34.4% for CRP. Positive and negative predictive values were 32 and 97.5%, respectively, for PCT and 23 and 95%, respectively, for CRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low PCT value at admission indicates a low risk of long term renal scarring. Increased PCT values at admission correlate with the presence of scars. PCT values have proved to be more specific than CRP and leukocyte count for identifying patients who might develop renal damage.
authors.affiliation: Serveis de Microbiologia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, C/Canyet s/n, 08916 Badalona, Spain. crisprat@ns.hugtip.scs.es
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prat
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giménez
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azuara
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Núria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Galí
authors.forename: Vicenç
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ausina
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012372:ROC Curve; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide