title: Serum PCT and its Relation to Body Weight Gain in Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
abstract: The present study was aimed at assessing alterations in serum PCT in terms of its relation to body weight gain in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients undergoing treatment. Among patients (25-75 years) diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, those that were new smear positive, showed sputum conversion at the end of 2 months and were declared clinically cured at the end of 6 months, were included in the study (n = 40). Serum procalcitonin was determined by BRAHMS PCT-Q kit. Patients were divided into two study groups-Group 1 (n = 21; serum PCT > 2 ng/ml at diagnosis), Group 2 (n = 19; serum PCT > 10 ng/ml at diagnosis). Body weights of all patients were obtained at three different time points, PTB-0 (at diagnosis), PTB-2 (after 2 months of intensive treatment) and PTB-6 (after 6 months of treatment). In both groups, mean body weights at PTB-2 and PTB-6 were significantly higher than those at PTB-0 and at PTB-6 were significantly higher than those at PTB-2. However, percentage body weight gain following 2 months of intensive treatment was higher in group 1 (4.05 % gain, p < 0.01) than in group 2 (2.75 % body weight gain, p < 0.05). Thus, the percentage gain in group 1 was tending more towards the desirable minimum gain of 5 % during intensive phase. Increase in serum PCT levels in pulmonary tuberculosis is inversely associated with body weight gain during treatment. Thus, PCT could play a role in regulation of body weight gain in anorectic conditions like tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, AIMST University, Semeling, 08100 Bedong, Malaysia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rohini
authors.affiliation: MSU-GEF International Medical School, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Surekha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: Unit of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, AIMST University, Bedong, Malaysia.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Srikumar
authors.affiliation: Madras Medical Mission Hospital, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahesh Kumar
keywords: Body weight; Chemotherapy; Malnutrition; Procalcitonin; Tuberculosis