title: [Correlation of hypoproteinemia with C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in children with sepsis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation of hypoproteinemia with inflammation parameters C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) and WBC in children with sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three children with sepsis (including 22 severe sepsis) and 40 non-sepsis children (control group) were enrolled. Serum albumin levels were measured on admission. Based on the level of serum albumin, 73 cases of sepsis were classified into three groups: mild hypoproteinemia, severe hypoproteinemia and normal albumin. Blood CRP, PCT and WBC levels were compared in the three groups. The correlation of CRP, PCT and WBC with serum albumin level was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum albumin levels in the sepsis groups (severe or non-severe) were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the severe sepsis group showed more decreased albumin levels compared with the non-severe sepsis group (P<0.05). Blood CRP, PCT and WBC levels in the mild hypoproteinemia group were higher than those in the normal albumin group (P<0.05), and the severe hypoproteinemia group showed more increased blood CRP, PCT and WBC levels compared with the mild hypoproteinemia group (P<0.05). The incidence of multiple organ failure in the severe hypoproteinemia group was significantly higher than that in the normal albumin group (P<0.05). Serum albumin levels were negatively correlated with blood CRP, PCT and WBC levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum albumin levels decrease in children with sepsis, and the more serious the illness, the lower serum albumin levels, resulting in a worse prognosis. CRP, PCT and WBC are negatively correlated to serum albumin levels in children with sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hunan Provincial Children's Hospital, Changsha 410007, China. fjhlsl_2008@163.com
authors.forename: Jiang-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Yi-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xin-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide