Procalcitonin: inflammatory biomarker for assessing the severity of community-acquired pneumonia--a clinical observation in geriatric patients.
Community-acquired pneumonia is a common disease of the elderly and involves a high mortality risk. Demographic developments are creating new challenges for acute medical treatment strategies in geriatric patients with their underlying multimorbidity. In addition to the diagnostic parameters recorded on hospital admission, such as white cell count and C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, more than the risk scores CRB- and CURB-65 evaluated to date, appears to be a promising parameter for assessing the severity of pneumonia in elderly patients to allow early detection of severe courses and initiation of suitable treatment. The decisive factor is the dynamic course of the procalcitonin values over 3 consecutive days, as demonstrated in this case series.
Heppner
H J
HJ
Klinikum Nürnberg, Medizinische Klinik 2-Akutgeriatrie, Lehrstuhl Innere Medizin-Geriatrie der FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Deutschland. heppner@klinikum-nuernberg.de
Bertsch
T
T
Alber
B
B
Esslinger
A S
AS
Dragonas
C
C
Bauer
J M
JM
Sieber
C C
CC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide