The aim of this study was to compare the clinical usefulness of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in
We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 348 patients admitted between June 2015 and December of 2015. There were 162 patients with
No difference was noted in the levels of serum PCT (
Serum PCT and CRP levels may change differently after infection according to the etiology of pneumonia.
Clinical characteristics of the study subjects
Characteristic | Group 1 (n=162) | Group 2 (n=186) | Group 3 (n=41) | Group 4 (n=17) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (yr) | 5.03±3.12 | 3.78±3.13 | <0.001 | 5.92±2.68 | 4.29±2.49 | 0.041 | 0.096 | 0.223 |
Boys | 70 (43.2) | 97 (52.2) | 0.119 | 24 (58.5) | 7 (41.18) | 0.359 | <0.001 | 0.540 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 16.05±2.09 | 16.06±1.68 | 0.997 | 16.36±2.29 | 16.42±2.02 | 0.267 | 0.418 | 0.489 |
Chief complain | ||||||||
Fever (>38°C) | 120 (75.0) | 137 (73.6) | 0.930 | 31 (75.6) | 17 (100) | 0.063 | 0.448 | 0.004 |
Respiratory symptoms | 42 (25.9) | 49 (26.3) | 0.929 | 13 (31.7) | 17 (100) | <0.001 | 0.584 | <0.001 |
Missing data | 0 (0) | 5 (2.7) | – | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | – | – | – |
Duration of admission (day) | 4.28±2.78 | 3.96±1.93 | 0.227 | 8.80±4.52 | 7.29±3.19 | 0.230 | <0.001 | <0.001 |
Mechanical ventilation care | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | – | – | – |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation or number (%).
Group 1, mycoplasma pneumonia; group 2, viral pneumonia; group 3, mycoplasma pneumonia with follow-up sampling; group 4, viral pneumonia with follow-up sampling, respiratory symptoms were defined as having coughing, sputum, or respiratory difficulty.
Scale variables were analyzed using analysis of chi-square test or Fisher exact test and continue variables were analyzed using analysis of Student
Group 2 compared with group 4.
Comparison of laboratory findings at admission between mycoplasma pneumonia and viral pneumonia
Characteristic | Group 1 (n=162) | Group 2 (n=186) | |
---|---|---|---|
WBC (×103/μL) | 8.94±4.80 | 9.45±4.47 | 0.732* |
Neutrophil proportion (%) | 61.90±14.19 | 55.98±17.05 | 0.069* |
CRP (mg/dL) | 3.14±3.43 | 3.29±3.81 | 0.296* |
PCT (ng/mL) | 0.49±2.25 | 0.92±3.29 | 0.168* |
PCT status (ng/mL) | |||
<0.25 | 143 (88.3) | 142 (76.3) | 0.006 |
0.25–1 | 8 (4.9) | 42 (22.6) | <0.001 |
>1 | 11 (6.8) | 28 (15.1) | 0.023 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation or number (%).
Group 1, mycoplasma pneumonia; group 2, viral pneumonia; WBC, white blood cell; CRP, C-reactive protein; PCT, procalcitonin.
Scale variables were analyzed using analysis of chi-square test or Fisher exact test.
*
Comparison of laboratory findings at the time of admission and follow-up in groups 3 and 4
Characteristic | First | Follow-up | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 3 | Group 4 | |||||
WBC (×103/μL) | 7.99±3.62 | 8.77±3.97 | 0.494 | 8.27±2.69 | 8.04±2.46 | 0.765 | 0.531 | 0.598 |
Neutrophil proportion (%) | 65.14±11.31 | 57.75±17.38 | 0.216 | 64.73±14.35 | 51.65±17.41 | 0.012 | 0.832 | 0.269 |
CRP (mg/dL) | 4.39±5.51 | 4.31±2.90 | 0.286 | 4.81±7.07 | 1.86±1.39 | 0.252 | 0.682 | 0.008 |
PCT (ng/mL) | 1.72±4.30 | 1.77±4.89 | 0.844 | 0.43±0.80 | 0.44±0.79 | 0.850 | 0.046 | 0.236 |
PCT status (ng/mL) | 0.587 | 0.315 | ||||||
<0.25 | 23 (56.1) | 9 (52.9) | 1.000 | 26 (63.4) | 12 (70.6) | 0.826 | ||
0.25–1 | 9 (22.0) | 3 (17.6) | 0.507 | 7 (17.1) | 2 (11.8) | 0.912 | ||
>1 | 9 (22.0) | 5 (29.4) | 0.386 | 8 (19.5) | 3 (17.6) | 0.869 |
Values are presented as mean±standard deviation or number (%).
Group 3, mycoplasma pneumonia with follow-up sampling; group 4, viral pneumonia with follow-up sampling; WBC, white blood cell; CRP, C-reactive protein; PCT, procalcitonin. Scale variables were analyzed using analysis of chi-square test or Fisher exact test and continue variables were analyzed using analysis of Student
*First sampling compared with follow-up sampling in group 3 from Wilcoxon signed rank test.
First sampling compared with follow-up sampling in group 4 from Wilcoxon signed rank test.