title: Decisional procalcitonin thresholds are not adapted to elderly patients admitted to the emergency room.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosis of sepsis in elderly is challenging.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether procalcitonin concentrations in elderly differed from values for the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Procalcitonin measurement was assessed prospectively in 307 apyretic patients ≥75 years visiting the emergency department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 86 years [IQR81-90] and 222 (72%) were female. Procalcitonin concentration was 0.057 µg/L [0.040-0.092]; 99th percentile was 0.661 µg/L. Patients with procalcitonin concentrations above decisional thresholds had lower glomerular filtration rate and higher C-reactive protein concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baseline procalcitonin levels are increased in elderly. Elevated values are common and associated to low-grade inflammation and lower eGFR.
authors.affiliation: Groupe hospitalier Cochin-Broca-Hôtel Dieu, APHP, Department of Biochemistry, Paris, France. camille.gobeaux@cch.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chenevier-Gobeaux
authors.forename: Eloise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trabattoni
authors.forename: Yaelle
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Elfassy
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Picard
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guérin
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Borderie
authors.forename: Yann-Erick
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Claessens
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide