title: Presepsin (scd14) as a marker of serious bacterial infections in chemotherapy induced severe neutropenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Timely detection of serious bacterial infections or prediction of sepsis and death is of paramount importance in neutropenic patients especially in oncology settings. The aim of this study was to determine a rapid and secure predictor of sepsis in severe neutropenic cancer children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In addition to blood culture, we have evaluated serum soluble CD14 on this role and measured it in 39 neutropenic episodes in Mahak pediatric oncology center from September 2012 to January 2013. Fifteen episodes had positive bacterial cultures and 18 had fever. The mean sCD14 values were compared in the presence or absence of fever, positive blood culture and other clinical conditions. Also, mean levels compared in different white cell counts and different four combination settings of fever and blood culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was statistically higher in febrile episodes, in the presence of oral mucositis, indwelling catheter infection, otitis media, and post toxic epidermal necrolysis sepsis and in instances of death within 15 days. Leukocyte count did not affect sCD14 level and in combinations of fever and blood culture, mean sCD14 values were ranked as follow: febrile culture negatives, febrile culture positives, afebrile culture positives and afebrile culture negatives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although sCD14 was not sensitive in detection of bacteremia, in the absence of clinically detectable source of infection, it was significantly higher in culture positives.
authors.affiliation: Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olad
authors.affiliation: Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sedighi
authors.affiliation: Mahak Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehrvar
authors.affiliation: Mahak Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tashvighi
authors.affiliation: Mahak Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fallahazad
authors.affiliation: Mahak Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amirabbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hedayatiasl
authors.affiliation: Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Esfahani
keywords: Cancer; Infection; Neutropenia; Pediatrics; Soluble CD14