title: Serum procalcitonin level for prediction of high-grade vesicoureteral reflux in urinary tract infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Procalcitonin is a reliable and specific marker of bacterial infections such as urinary tract infection. Some authors suggest measurement of serum procalcitonin as a predictor of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). We investigated this association in children admitted because of acute pyelonephritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight children with the first febrile urinary tract infection were included. Twelve patients had low-grade VUR, 9 patients had high-grade VUR, and 27 patients did not have any VUR in their imaging assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant association between high-grade VUR and higher levels of procalcitonin (P = .04). The sensitivity of a procalcitonin level of 0.31 ng/mL or greater was 90% and the specificity was 32% for diagnosis of high-grade VUR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that serum procalcitonin concentration is a sensitive and promising predictor of high-grade VUR.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rahimzadeh
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Otukesh
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Transplantation and Dialysis Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rozitahoseini@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rozita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoseini
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shadani
authors.forename: Nakysa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hooman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide