Serum and pleural fluid procalcitonin in predicting bacterial infection in patients with parapneumonic effusion.
This study evaluated the value of procalcitonin (PCT) levels in pleural effusion to differentiate the etiology of parapneumonic effusion (PPE). Forty-one consecutive PPE patients were enrolled and were divided into bacterial and non-bacterial PPE. Blood and pleural effusion samples were collected for PCT measurement on admission and analyzed for diagnostic evaluation. PCT of pleural fluid was significantly increased in the bacterial PPE group (0.24 ng/mL) compared to the non-bacterial PPE group (0.09 ng/mL), but there was no significant difference for serum PCT. A PCT concentration of pleural fluid >0.174 ng/mL (best cut-off value) was considered positive for a diagnosis of bacterial PPE (sensitivity, 80%; specificity, 76%; AUC, 0.84). Pleural effusion PCT in the bacterial PPE is significantly different from those of the non-bacterial PPE and control groups, so the diagnostic use of PCT still warrants further investigation.
Ko
Yang-Ching
YC
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Martin De Porres Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Wu
Wen-Pin
WP
Hsu
Chi-Sen
CS
Dai
Mong-Ping
MP
Ou
Chien-Chih
CC
Kao
Chih-Hsiung
CH
D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012372:ROC Curve
C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide