Comparison of procalcitonin and CrP in the postoperative course after lung decortication.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this prospective study was to compare the clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CrP) plasma concentrations in their postoperative course after decortication.


METHODS
Twenty-two patients requiring surgery for pleural empyema were chosen for this prospective study. Routine blood samples including CrP and PCT plasma concentrations were taken before the operation and on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th postoperative day.


RESULTS
Due to infection PCT and CrP were elevated preoperatively. In the postoperative course both PCT and CrP reached peak-levels on day 2 with values up to 43.55 ng/ml and 384.00 mg/l, respectively. In PCT the rise was followed by a clear decrease in 20 (90.9 %) patients until day 7. In contrast the CrP levels decreased slowly and only seven (54.5%) patients had values of 100 mg/l or below on day 7. PCT showed a better correlation with the clinic in case of septic course than CrP does.


CONCLUSIONS
PCT reflects postoperative clinical course more accurately than CrP. Therefore, PCT is a more appropriate laboratory parameter to monitor patients after surgery for pleural empyema.
Carboni
Giovanni L
GL
Division of General Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Berne, 3010 Berne, Switzerland.
Fahrner
Rene
R
Gazdhar
Amiq
A
Printzen
Gert
G
Schmid
Ralph Alexander
RA
Hoksch
Beatrix
B
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000097:blood*; D013908:Thoracotomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide