title: Procalcitonin: diagnostic value in systemic infections in chronic kidney disease or renal transplant patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although procalcitonin (PCT) has been described as a marker of infection and inflammation, it has not been extensively studied in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), end stage renal disease, or renal transplant.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCT was routinely tested in 82 (56 dialyzed patients and 28 renal transplant recipients) consecutive cases with a strong clinical suspicion of infection, during a 6-month period, in a single referral unit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 58/82 cases had confirmed infections as per definition. Patients with confirmed infections had higher values for PCT [median = 2.5 ng/mL, interquartile range (IR) = 0.9-5 ng/mL] than those without (median = 0.3 ng/mL, IR = 0.1-0.5 ng/mL), p < 0.001. Overall, for a cutoff value of 0.5 ng/mL, the sensitivity of the test was 93.1 % and the specificity 78.6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that significantly elevated PCT concentrations offer good sensitivity and specificity for the early diagnosis of systemic bacterial infection in patients with CKD.
authors.affiliation: Dialysis and Renal Transplantation Center, "Dr. C.I. Parhon" University Hospital, B-dul Carol I, nr. 50, Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dumea
authors.forename: Dimitrie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siriopol
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hogas
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mititiuc
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Covic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D004760:Enterocolitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide