title: Relationship of Serum Procalcitonin Levels to Severity and Prognosis in Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels and prognosis in children with bacterial meningitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two child patients were included in this prospective study. The diagnosis of meningitis was based on clinical features and cerebrospinal fluid findings. PCT levels were measured with a specific immunoluminometric assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (a) Patients with bacterial meningitis had significantly higher serum PCT than those with viral meningitis. (b) The PCT levels of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were significantly higher than those who had no or mild sepsis. (c) PCT levels decreased significantly in patients who had good curative effect, whereas PCT levels did not changed in patients who had no curative effect. (d) The PCT levels were significantly higher in those who died than those who survived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum PCT is related to the severity of disease in children with bacterial meningitis. A fall in PCT after treatment may have favorable prognostic significance.
authors: Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China qlhuruimei@163.com.
authors: Ruimei
authors: R
authors: Hu
authors: Shandong Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors: Yansheng
authors: Y
authors: Gong
authors: Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
authors: Yuzhen
authors: Y
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide
keywords: meningitis; procalcitonin; prognosis