Usefulness of Plasma Procalcitonin to Predict Severity in Elderly Patients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

article

Ji Hye Kim¹  Joo Wan Seo¹  Jeong Ha Mok¹  Mi Hyun Kim¹  Woo Hyun Cho¹  Kwangha Lee¹  Ki Uk Kim¹  Doosoo Jeon¹  Hye-Kyung Park¹  Yun Seong Kim¹  Hyung Hoi Kim²  Min Ki Lee¹ 

[1] Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine;Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine

关键词: Community-Acquired Infections;    Aged;    Pneumonia;    Procalcitonin;   

DOI  :  10.4046/trd.2013.74.5.207

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

【 摘 要 】

Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of death among the elderly. Several studies have reported the clinical usefulness of serum procalcitonin, a biomarker of bacterial infection. However, the association between the levels of procalcitonin and the severity in the elderly with CAP has not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate usefulness of procalcitonin as a predictor of severity and mortality in the elderly with CAP. Methods This study covers 155 CAP cases admitted to Pusan National University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2010. Patients were divided into two groups (≥65 years, n=99; <65 years, n=56) and were measured for procalcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell, confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure, 65 years or older (CURB-65) and pneumonia severity of index (PSI). Results The levels of procalcitonin were significantly correlated with the CURB-65, PSI in totals. Especially stronger correlation was observed between the levels of procalcitonin and CURB-65 in the elderly (procalcitonin and CURB-65, ρ=0.408 with p<0.001; procalcitonin and PSI, ρ=0.293 with p=0.003; procalcitonin and mortality, ρ=0.229 with p=0.023). The correlation between the levels of CRP or WBC and CAP severity was low. The existing cut-off value of procalcitonin was correlated with mortality rate, however, it was not correlated with mortality within the elderly. Conclusion The levels of procalcitonin are more useful than the levels of CRP or WBC to predict the severity of CAP. However, there was no association between the levels of procalcitonin and mortality in the elderly.

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC