BACKGROUND AND AIM: We have evaluated procalcitonin (PCT) as a diagnostic marker for bacterial gastroenteritis (GE) and as a disease activity marker in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. METHODS: This was a prospective single-center study performed over a 1-year period. Venous blood samples were drawn from hospitalized patients with acute GE and tested for PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and total white cell count (TWC); stools from the same patients were tested for standard pathogens. Venous blood samples from patients with IBD were tested for PCT, CRP, ESR, and platelet count. The PCT level was measured using an immunofluorescent assay, with normal being defined as <0.5 ng/ml. RESULTS: The GE arm of study consisted of 81 patients, 18.5% of whom were diagnosed with bacterial GE. The PCT and CRP levels were good diagnostic markers of bacterial GE, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.727 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.580-0.874] and 0.786 (95% CI 0.627-0.946), respectively. An elevated PCT > or =0.5 ng/ml was associated with a 13-fold increased risk of renal impairment. The IBD arm of study consisted of 72 IBD patients. The PCT levels were not significantly different between active and inactive IBD in this patient cohort. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that PCT and CRP are comparably good diagnostic markers of bacterial GE but that PCT is not useful as in monitoring disease activity in patients with IBD.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: We have evaluated procalcitonin (PCT) as a diagnostic marker for bacterial gastroenteritis (GE) and as a disease activity marker in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. METHODS: This was a prospective single-center study performed over a 1-year period. Venous blood samples were drawn from hospitalized patients with acute GE and tested for PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and total white cell count (TWC); stools from the same patients were tested for standard pathogens. Venous blood samples from patients with IBD were tested for PCT, CRP, ESR, and platelet count. The PCT level was measured using an immunofluorescent assay, with normal being defined as <0.5 ng/ml. RESULTS: The GE arm of study consisted of 81 patients, 18.5% of whom were diagnosed with bacterial GE. The PCT and CRP levels were good diagnostic markers of bacterial GE, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.727 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.580-0.874] and 0.786 (95% CI 0.627-0.946), respectively. An elevated PCT > or =0.5 ng/ml was associated with a 13-fold increased risk of renal impairment. The IBD arm of study consisted of 72 IBDpatients. The PCT levels were not significantly different between active and inactive IBD in this patient cohort. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that PCT and CRP are comparably good diagnostic markers of bacterial GE but that PCT is not useful as in monitoring disease activity in patients with IBD.
Authors: Klaus R Herrlinger; Rike Dittmann; Gunther Weitz; Jan Wehkamp; Diether Ludwig; Matthias Schwab; Eduard F Stange; Klaus Fellermann Journal: Inflamm Bowel Dis Date: 2004-05 Impact factor: 5.325
Authors: Sook Hee Chung; Hye Won Lee; Seung Won Kim; Soo Jung Park; Sung Pil Hong; Tae Il Kim; Won Ho Kim; Jae Hee Cheon Journal: Gut Liver Date: 2016-07-15 Impact factor: 4.519
Authors: Jae Young Lee; Sun Young Cho; Hannah Sun Hae Hwang; Ja Young Ryu; Jongjin Lee; In Do Song; Beom Jin Kim; Jeong Wook Kim; Sae Kyung Chang; Chang Hwan Choi Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2017-07 Impact factor: 1.889