title: Diagnostic performance of procalcitonin, presepsin, and C-reactive protein in patients with hematological malignancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infections represent a major complication of hematological malignancies. C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) have been used as diagnostic biomarkers of infections, but do not produce definitive findings. Recently, a new biomarker, presepsin, has been used as a diagnostic tool for detecting infections in the fields of emergency and neonatal medicine. However, the usefulness of presepsin for identifying infections in patients with hematological malignancies, including those who develop febrile neutropenia, remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the utility of PCT, presepsin, and CRP as biomarkers of infections during 49 febrile episodes that occurred in 28 patients with hematological malignancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of PCT, but not those of CRP or presepsin, were significantly higher in the infection group than in the uninfected group (P<.03), indicating that PCT might be a more sensitive biomarker of infections. No differences in presepsin levels were detected between the patients with and without neutropenia, or between the infected and uninfected patients with neutropenia, indicating that presepsin might have less diagnostic value in patients with neutropenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that PCT might provide additional information and could be used in combination with other biomarkers to detect infections in patients with hematological malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9883-6986
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Transplantation, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Akaru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshitada
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taji
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Asou
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.|Department of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Transplantation, International Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikebuchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D064146:Chemotherapy-Induced Febrile Neutropenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C000594167:presepsin protein, human; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; hematological malignancy; neutropenia; presepsin; procalcitonin