Open AccessClinical Potential of C-Reactive Protein and Procalcitonin Serum Concentrations To Guide Differential Diagnosis and Clinical Management of Pneumococcal and Legionella Pneumonia
Author(s) -
Rosa BellmannWeiler,
Mathias Ausserwinkler,
Katharina Kurz,
Igor Theurl,
Günter Weiss
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.01348-09
Subject(s) - procalcitonin , pneumonia , legionella pneumophila , streptococcus pneumoniae , medicine , c reactive protein , gastroenterology , community acquired pneumonia , differential diagnosis , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , sepsis , pathology , biology , bacteria , inflammation , antibiotics , genetics
We retrospectively analyzed the records of 61 hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused byS treptococcus pneumoniae orL egionella pneumophila . We found that serum procalcitonin and sodium concentrations were significantly lower, and ferritin levels were significantly higher, in patients infected withL. pneumophila than in those infected withS. pneumoniae . The ratio of C-reactive protein to procalcitonin significantly distinguished between the groups. High procalcitonin levels were associated with an adverse clinical course.