Ability of procalcitonin to diagnose bacterial infection and bacteria types compared with blood culture findings

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographics of the patients

Background	PCT positive (n=133)	PCT negative (n=147)	P-value
Age (years) mean ± SD	77.0±12.2	71.0±18.7	**P<0.01
Sex n (%)
Male	91 (68.4%)	82 (55.8%)	*P=0.036
Female	42 (31.6%)	65 (44.2%)
Complications n (%)
Respiratory diseases	42 (32.6%)	53 (36.0%)	P=0.448
Heart diseases	31 (23.3%)	31 (21.0%)	P=1.000
Digestive diseases	17 (12.9%)	11 (7.5%)	P=0.123
Surgery	11 (8.3%)	9 (6.1%)	P=0.452
Neurological diseases	16 (12.0%)	20 (13.6%)	P=0.748
Autoimmune diseases	5 (3.8%)	15 (10.2%)	*P=0.041
Orthopedic diseases	3 (2.3%)	2 (1.4%)	P=0.554
Diabetes mellitus	3 (2.3%)	4 (2.7%)	P=0.826
Skin diseases	4 (3.0%)	1 (0.7%)	P=0.134
Mental disorders	2 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.121
Rehabilitation	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	P=0.346

Notes: Significant at

** P<0.01 and

* P<0.05. Rehabilitation: Admission to improving, maintaining or restoring physical strength, cognition and mobility.

Abbreviation: PCT, procalcitonin.

Table 2 Clinical data of the patients

Laboratory data	PCT positive (n=133)	PCT negative (n=147)	P-value
WBC (×10^3/μL)	14.3±8.7	9.3±5.3	**P<0.01
Platelet (×10^3/μL)	153±117.4	228±109.2	**P<0.01
T-Bil (mg/dL)	0.9±2.6	0.7±0.8	P=0.375
AST (U/L)	57.0±331.7	26.0±54.7	P=0.132
ALT (U/L)	39.0±122.5	21.0±58.4	P=0.059
LDH (U/L)	314.0±458.2	222.0±118.4	*P=0.012
BUN (mg/dL)	33.0±27.9	15.0±10.9	**P<0.01
CRE (mg/dL)	1.27±1.71	0.72±0.61	**P<0.01
Albumin (g/dL)	2.8±0.6	3.3±0.6	**P<0.01
CRP (mg/dL)	19.2±10.0	6.2±7.2	**P<0.01

Notes: Significant at

** P<0.01 and

* P<0.05. PCT data presented as mean ± SD.

Abbreviations: PCT, procalcitonin; WBC, white blood cell; T-Bil, total bilirubin; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; CRP, C-reactive protein; CRE, creatinine.

Table 3 PCT and blood culture results

Patients	PCT positive (n=133)	PCT negative (n=147)	P-value
Blood culture positive n (%)	41 (14.6%)	14 (5.0%)	**P<0.001
Blood culture negative n (%)	92 (32.9%)	133(47.5%)

Note:

** Significant at P<0.01.

Abbreviation: PCT, procalcitonin.

Table 4 PCT and detected pathogens from blood culture

Pathogens	PCT positive (n=41)	PCT negative (n=14)	P-value	P-value of regular and ESBL/MRSA strain included
Escherichia coli	8 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	*P=0.031	*P=0.023
Escherichia coli ESBL	3 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.228
Klebsiella pneumoniae	5 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.153	P=0.113
Klebsiella pneumoniae ESBL	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	P=1.000
Klebsiella oxytoca	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.539	P=0.539
Klebsiella oxytoca ESBL	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	P=1.000
Proteus mirabilis	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	P=1.000	P=0.331
Proteus mirabilis ESBL	2 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.331
Enterobacter aerogenes	2 (5.0%)	1 (7.2%)	P=0.796
Other gram-negative rod	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.539
Staphylococcus aureus	4 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.206	P=0.153
Staphylococcus aureus MRSA	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.339
Staphylococcus lugdunensis	0 (0.0%)	2 (14.2%)	*P=0.017
Staphylococcus intermedius	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.539
Staphylococcus epidermidis	5 (12.5%)	7 (50.0%)	**P<0.01
Streptococcus pneumoniae	2 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.331
Enterococcus faecalis	1(2.5%)	2 (14.2%)	P=0.109
γ-Hemolytic streptococcus	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.539
Staphylococcus capitis subsp. ureolyticus	0 (0.0%)	1 (7.2%)	P=0.096
Staphylococcus hominis subsp. hominis	1 (2.5%)	1 (7.2%)	P=1.000
Clostridium perfringens	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.539
Peptostreptococcus prevotii	1 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	P=0.539

Note: Significant at

** P<0.01 and

* P<0.05.

Abbreviations: PCT, procalcitonin; ESBL, extended-spectrum β-lactamase; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Figure 1 Comparisons of PCT concentrations in the bacteremia patients according to isolated bacterial species.

Note: Significant at **P<0.01 and *P<0.05.
Abbreviations: PCT, procalcitonin; E. coli, Escherichia coli; K. pneu, Klebsiella pneumoniae; S. aureus, Staphylococcus aureus; S. epi, Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Figure 2 Comparisons of PCT concentrations in the bacteremia patients.

Notes: Comparisons of PCT concentrations between patients infected with gram-negative rods and gram-positive cocci (A) and between those infected with ESBL-producing and non-ESBL-producing E. coli and P. mirabilis (B). Significant at **P<0.01 and *P<0.05.
Abbreviations: PCT, procalcitonin; ESBL, extended-spectrum β-lactamase; E. coli, Escherichia coli; P. mirabilis, Proteus mirabilis.