OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease accompanied by many complications, and serious infections are associated with many of the advanced therapeutics used to treat it. We assessed serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels to distinguish bacterial infection from other complications in patients with RA. METHODS: One hundred eighteen patients experiencing an RA flare, noninfectious complication of RA or its treatment, nonbacterial infection, or bacterial infection were studied. Serum PCT concentrations were determined with a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: All patients experiencing an RA flare showed negative PCT levels (≤ 0.1 ng/ml; n = 18). The PCT level was higher in the bacterial infection group (25.8% had levels ≥ 0.5 ng/ml) than in the other 3 groups (0.0-4.3% had levels ≥ 0.5 ng/ml) and the difference was significant among groups (p = 0.003). Conversely, no statistically significant difference was observed among the groups with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration ≥ 0.3 mg/dl (p = 0.513), white blood cell (WBC) count > 8500/mm(3) (p = 0.053), or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) > 15 mm/h (p = 0.328). The OR of high PCT level (≥ 0.5 ng/ml) for detection of bacterial infection was 19.13 (95% CI 2.44-149.78, p = 0.005). Specificity and positive likelihood ratio of PCT ≥ 0.5 ng/ml were highest (98.2% and 14.33, respectively) for detection of bacterial infection, although the sensitivity was low (25.8%). CONCLUSION: Serum PCT level is a more specific marker for detection of bacterial infection than either CRP, ESR, or WBC count in patients with RA. High PCT levels (≥ 0.5 ng/ml) strongly suggest bacterial infection. However, PCT < 0.5 ng/ml, even if < 0.2 ng/ml, does not rule out bacterial infection and physicians should treat appropriately.
OBJECTIVE:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease accompanied by many complications, and serious infections are associated with many of the advanced therapeutics used to treat it. We assessed serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels to distinguish bacterial infection from other complications in patients with RA. METHODS: One hundred eighteen patients experiencing an RA flare, noninfectious complication of RA or its treatment, nonbacterial infection, or bacterial infection were studied. Serum PCT concentrations were determined with a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: All patients experiencing an RA flare showed negative PCT levels (≤ 0.1 ng/ml; n = 18). The PCT level was higher in the bacterial infection group (25.8% had levels ≥ 0.5 ng/ml) than in the other 3 groups (0.0-4.3% had levels ≥ 0.5 ng/ml) and the difference was significant among groups (p = 0.003). Conversely, no statistically significant difference was observed among the groups with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration ≥ 0.3 mg/dl (p = 0.513), white blood cell (WBC) count > 8500/mm(3) (p = 0.053), or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) > 15 mm/h (p = 0.328). The OR of high PCT level (≥ 0.5 ng/ml) for detection of bacterial infection was 19.13 (95% CI 2.44-149.78, p = 0.005). Specificity and positive likelihood ratio of PCT ≥ 0.5 ng/ml were highest (98.2% and 14.33, respectively) for detection of bacterial infection, although the sensitivity was low (25.8%). CONCLUSION: Serum PCT level is a more specific marker for detection of bacterial infection than either CRP, ESR, or WBC count in patients with RA. High PCT levels (≥ 0.5 ng/ml) strongly suggest bacterial infection. However, PCT < 0.5 ng/ml, even if < 0.2 ng/ml, does not rule out bacterial infection and physicians should treat appropriately.
Authors: R S Redman; G S Kerr; J B Payne; T R Mikuls; J Huang; H R Sayles; K L Becker; E S Nylén Journal: Biotech Histochem Date: 2016 Impact factor: 1.718
Authors: Wen Liu; Keshav Raj Sigdel; Ying Wang; Qun Su; Yan Huang; Yan Lin Zhang; Jie Chen; Lihua Duan; Guixiu Shi Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-07-16 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Nadia M T Roodenrijs; Melinda Kedves; Attila Hamar; György Nagy; Jacob M van Laar; Désirée van der Heijde; Paco M J Welsing Journal: RMD Open Date: 2021-01
Authors: György Nagy; Nadia M T Roodenrijs; Désirée van der Heijde; Jacob M van Laar; Paco M J Welsing; Melinda Kedves; Attila Hamar; Marlies C van der Goes; Alison Kent; Margot Bakkers; Polina Pchelnikova; Etienne Blaas; Ladislav Senolt; Zoltan Szekanecz; Ernest H Choy; Maxime Dougados; Johannes Wg Jacobs; Rinie Geenen; Johannes Wj Bijlsma; Angela Zink; Daniel Aletaha; Leonard Schoneveld; Piet van Riel; Sophie Dumas; Yeliz Prior; Elena Nikiphorou; Gianfranco Ferraccioli; Georg Schett; Kimme L Hyrich; Ulf Mueller-Ladner; Maya H Buch; Iain B McInnes Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2021-08-18 Impact factor: 19.103