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Serum procalcitonin concentrations in bacterial pneumonia in children: A negative result in primary healthcare settings
Author(s) -
Korppi Matti,
Remes Sami,
HeiskanenKosma Tarja
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.10201
Subject(s) - procalcitonin , medicine , chlamydia , etiology , pneumonia , mycoplasma , serology , mycoplasma pneumonia , mycoplasma pneumoniae , population , immunology , bacterial pneumonia , pediatrics , antibody , sepsis , microbiology and biotechnology , environmental health , biology
A microbe‐specific diagnosis in community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) is difficult in children, and studies on nonspecific chest radiographic and host response markers have been inconsistent. Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is a newly recognized, promising marker for differentiating between bacterial and viral infections. Serum PCT was measured by a luminometric assay in 190 children with CAP diagnosed in the primary healthcare setting during a population‐based study in a geographically defined population. The pneumococcal, mycoplasma, chlamydia, and viral etiology of infections was studied by an extensive serologic test panel. The median PCT concentrations were 0.47, 0.46, and 0.35 ng/mL in children aged <5 years, 5–9 years, and ≥10 years ( P = 0.004). An elevated PCT >1.0 ng/mL was seen in 12.1% and >2.0 ng/mL in only 2.1% of the children. No association was seen between severity (inpatient vs. outpatient care) and etiology of CAP (evidence for pneumococcal, mycoplasma, or chlamydia, vs. viral infection). We conclude that serum PCT measurements have no role in the diagnosis of bacterial CAP in children in primary healthcare settings. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2003; 35:56–61. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.