Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy in aspiration pneumonia and an assessment of the continuation of oral intake

BackgroundProcalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia is effective and safe. However, the usefulness of procalcitonin for aspiration pneumonia and its nutrition-related outcomes are unknown.MethodsWe conducted a noninferiority randomized controlled study in patients with aspiration pneumonia who were admitted to our hospital between September 2010 and January 2012. We randomly assigned 105 patients to groups with different durations of antibiotic therapy based on the procalcitonin levels upon admission (procalcitonin group) or according to the standard guidelines (control group). The primary endpoints were relapse of aspiration pneumonia and death within 30 days, with a predefined noninferiority boundary of 10%. Secondary endpoints included duration of antibiotic exposure. Furthermore, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the prognostic factors that determined continuation of oral nutritional intake, relapse of pneumonia, and in-hospital death.ResultsThe rate of relapse and death within 30 days were similar in the procalcitonin and control groups (25% versus 37.5%; difference, −12.5%; 95% confidence interval, −30.9% to 5.9%). Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy significantly shortened the median duration of antibiotic exposure (5 versus 8 days; p<0.0001); however, the continuation of oral intake was not increased (56% versus 50%; p=0.54). A multivariable analysis showed a significant association between the continuation of oral nutritional intake and the body mass index upon admission.ConclusionsProcalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy for aspiration pneumonia can shorten the duration of antibiotic exposure, but it does not increase the continuation of oral intake (UMIN000004800).     

血清及脑脊液PCT检测联合MRI对中枢神经感染诊断价值

目的观察血清及脑脊液降钙素原(PCT)水平检测联合磁共振成像(MRI)对中枢神经感染的诊断价值。方法选取100例中枢神经感染患者纳入观察组,并取同期21例非脑炎头痛患者纳入对照组,均行MRI检查、血清及脑脊液PCT检测,比较两组MRI阳性率、血清及脑脊液PCT水平与阳性率。结果观察组病毒性脑膜炎、化脓性脑膜炎、结核性脑膜炎MRI阳性率显著高于对照组(P<0.05);观察组血清及脑脊液PCT水平明显高于对照组(P<0.05);观察组病毒性脑膜炎、化脓性脑膜炎、结核性脑膜炎血清及脑脊液PCT阳性率均明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论血清及脑脊液PCT水平检测联合MRI有助于临床准确诊断人体中枢神经感染疾病,为患者有效治疗提供可靠诊断信息。     

脑脊液降钙素原及乳酸脱氢酶动态测定在小儿化脓性脑膜炎中诊疗的应用

目的研究化脓性脑膜炎患儿的脑脊液中降钙素原及乳酸脱氢酶浓度的动态变化。方法选取化脓性脑膜炎患者作为观察组,健康者为对照组,每组患者各20例,脑脊液乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）检测使用强生VITROS 350全自动干化学生化分析仪进行。降钙素原（PCT）检测使用梅里埃Mini VIDAS全自动免疫分析仪进行检测。结果与对照组患儿进行比较,观察组脑脊液降钙素原及乳酸脱氢酶水平均显著升高（t=2.869,P=0.007;t=2.284,P=0.018）。经有效治疗72 h后,患儿脑脊液降钙素原及乳酸脱氢酶水平显著下降。化脓性脑膜炎患儿PCT与LDH水平呈正相关关系（r=0.453,P=0.0455）。结论脑脊液中降钙素原及乳酸脱氢酶的浓度联合检测有助于化脓性脑膜炎的诊断,也助于病情的动态观察及疗效评估。     

血清降钙素原和血清前白蛋白检测在呼吸道感染性疾病中的应用

目的：探讨血清降钙素原（PCT）和血清前清蛋白（PA）检测在呼吸道感染性疾病诊断中的临床价值。方法选取90例经呼吸内科确诊的细菌感染患者为观察组,另选48例健康体检者为对照组。PCT和PA检测分别采用免疫发光法和比色法,测定两组血清水平,并进行统计学分析。结果观察组患者PCT水平显著高于对照组（χ2=7.512,P=0.0046）,而PA水平则低于对照组（χ2=7.126,P=0.0058）;观察组患者以上两项指标阳性率显著高于对照组（χ2=7.628,P=0.0047）。治疗1周后,观察组PCT水平显著降低,而PA水平显著升高,治疗前后差异具有统计学意义（χ2=3.629,P=0.034）。结论血清PCT和PA测定可作为呼吸道感染性疾病诊断和鉴别诊断的常规指标,对指导抗菌药物的合理使用,病情评估和疗效判断均具有重要的指导意义。     

Serum human neutrophil lipocalin: An effective biomarker for diagnosing bacterial infections

BackgroundHuman neutrophil lipocalin (HNL) is used as a novel biomarker for infections. However, only a few studies have focused on the usefulness of HNL. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of HNL for identifying bacterial infections and to compare HNL with procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP).MethodsHospital patients with acute infections of bacterial origin (n = 439), viral origin (n = 71), and healthy volunteers (n = 67) were included in the study. The infection status of each patient was verified using microbiological, serological, and PCR testing. Additionally, CRP, HNL, and PCT levels were measured by established methods.ResultsIn distinguishing bacterial and viral infections, area under the curve (AUC) analysis showed that, with a value of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.76–0.86), HNL was superior to CRP at 0.73 (0.68–0.79) and PCT at 0.64 (0.58–0.70). Interestingly, the combination of HNL, PCT, and CRP improved the diagnostic potential significantly with an AUC of 0.86 (0.82–0.90, P < 0.05). Furthermore, when comparing different infection site subgroups with healthy patients, HNL levels were higher in all bacterial groups, albeit to widely varying degrees (P < 0.0001), and HNL reached a higher level in bloodstream and abdominal infections. CRP levels showed the same trend as HNL levels. PCT levels were significantly increased in bloodstream infections, abdominal infections, and in bacterial pneumonia (P < 0.0001), while no significant differences were found in soft tissue (P = 0.4378) or urinary tract infections (P = 0.423). There was no difference in HNL and CRP levels between patients with Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) or Gram-positive bacterial infections. However, compared with controls, PCT was only increased in GNB-infected patients.ConclusionHNL detection can help diagnose patients with infectious diseases, and the diagnostic efficacy of HNL is not affected by the infected site or by pathogenic bacterial species. The combination of HNL, PCT, and CRP has a superior performance at identifying bacterial infections compared with traditional biomarkers.     

血清降钙素原及IL-1诊断未足月胎膜早破感染中的价值

目的:探讨血清降钙素原(PCT)及白细胞介素-1(IL-1)水平变化在诊断胎膜早破感染中价值。方法:选取符合标准的未足月胎膜早破(PPROM)孕妇共200例为研究对象,另选取我院无胎膜早破未足月分娩孕妇50例为对照组,分别于胎膜早破6h内未与预防使用抗生素前及分娩前1h内抽取肘静脉血,检测血清PCT、IL-1、CRP,同时分娩后胎盘送病理检查。结果:胎膜早破6h内未与预防使用抗生素前与无胎膜早破未足月分娩组,血清PCT、IL-1、CRP无统计学差异(P>0.05)。分娩前PPROM合并绒毛膜羊膜炎者血清PCT、IL-1、CRP较其他两组均有明显升高,有统计学差异(P0.05)。制作PPROM合并及未合并绒毛膜羊膜炎两组有关PCT及LI-1的ROC曲线,两指标在诊断胎膜早破合并绒毛膜羊膜炎组有较好的特异性及敏感性。两指标联合使用其特异性、敏感性、阳性预测值及阴性预测值与单独应用PCT比较无明显统计学差异。结论:PCT及IL-1可作为未足月胎膜早破合并绒毛膜羊膜炎诊断的临床指标之一,可根据PCT水平变化评估绒毛膜羊膜炎严重程度,对临床如何进一步处理PPROM有重要指导意义。     

儿童肺炎支原体肺炎感染指标的诊断价值

目的探讨WBC、C反应蛋白（CRP）、血清淀粉样蛋白A（SAA）、降钙素原（PCT）在儿童肺炎支原体肺炎（MPP）诊治中的价值。 方法回顾性分析本院儿科确诊的154例住院患儿（MPP组）,以临床症状结合影像学的诊断结果作为诊断标准,并选择同期非肺部感染患儿51例,作为对照组。对2组间WBC、CRP、SAA、PCT 4项炎性标志物的检测结果进行分析。 结果MPP组中WBC、CRP、SAA、PCT检测结果均显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P均<0.05）。单项检测时,PCT诊断敏感度最高［85.71%（132/154）］,CRP和SAA特异度高［96.08%（49/51）、96.08%（49/51）］;2项联合检测时,WBC＋PCT诊断敏感度最高［94.81%（146/154）］,WBC＋SAA和CRP＋SAA诊断特异度最高［均为96.08%（49/51）］;3项联合检测时,WBC＋CRP＋PCT和WBC＋PCT＋SAA诊断敏感度最高［均为96.10%（148/154）］,WBC＋CRP＋SAA诊断特异度最高［92.16%（47/51）］;CRP＋SAA＋PCT＋WBC联合检测的诊断敏感度最高［98.70%（152/154）］,但特异度较低［60.78%（31/51）］。 结论儿童MPP时,在检测肺炎支原体抗体的同时,通过联合检测WBC、CRP、SAA、PCT 4项炎症标志物可有效提高临床的诊断效能。     

糖尿病专用型肠内营养混悬液对重症脑卒中 合并应激性高血糖患者的影响*

目的：探讨糖尿病专用型肠内营养混悬液（TPF-DM）对重症脑卒中合并应激性高血糖患者血糖及降钙素原（PCT）水平的影响。方法：将48例并发应激性高血糖的重症脑卒中患者随机均分两组,经整理后每组各20例,分别给予肠内营养混悬液TPF（对照组）和TPF-DM（研究组）作为肠内营养支持。于入院第1、7、14天分别抽取患者静脉血测定空腹血糖（FBG）、餐后2小时血糖（2hPBG）及 PCT水平,对组间指标进行统计学分析。结果：研究组第7天和第14天血糖水平均低于同期对照组（P<0.05）;两组患者在第1天监测PCT水平均高于正常,营养支持后第7天研究组与对照组PCT水平均较第一天下降,但相比之下研究组PCT改善较对照组显著,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;第14天两组患者PCT水平均恢复至正常水平且组间差异不再有统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论：TPF-DM对重症脑卒中合并应激性高血糖患者血糖影响显著优于TPF,可能对早期感染的控制产生积极影响。     

冠心病患者PCT、hs-CRP水平与冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度的关系探讨

目的分析冠心病患者血清降钙素原(PCT)、超敏C反应蛋白(hs-CRP)水平与冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度的关系。方法50例进行冠状动脉造影术的冠心病患者作为实验组,根据改良Censini评分标准分为实验组A(评分<30分,15例)、实验组B(30分≤评分≤60分,19例)、实验组C(评分>60分,16例),另选同期50例进行冠状动脉造影术的正常者作为对照组。检测四组受检者的血清PCT、hs-CRP水平。对比四组受检者血清PCT、hs-CRP水平,分析冠心病患者血清PCT、hs-CRP水平与冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度的关系。结果实验组A、实验组B、实验组C患者血清PCT及hs-CRP水平分别为(0.26±0.09)ng/ml及(9.68±0.84)mg/L、(1.49±0.28)ng/ml及(16.45±1.81)mg/L、(10.57±1.85)ng/ml及(29.06±3.72)mg/L,均明显高于对照组的(0.05±0.02)ng/ml及(1.40±0.11)mg/L,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);实验组C患者血清PCT、hs-CRP水平均明显高于实验组A、实验组B,实验组B患者明显高于实验组A,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05),即随着改良Censini评分总和增高,实验组患者血清PCT、hs-CRP水平也逐渐提升。冠心病患者血清PCT、hs-CRP水平与冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度呈正相关(r=0.89、0.92,P=0.000、0.000<0.05)。结论冠心病患者血清PCT、hs-CRP水平与冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度存在正相关性,通过血清PCT、hs-CRP水平检测,能帮助准确诊断冠状动脉粥样硬化病变程度及冠心病病情。     

Diagnostic values of HNP 1-3 and procalcitonin levels in synovial fluid aspirates in the differential diagnosis between septic arthritis and noninfectious arthritis

IntroductionAlthough early diagnosis of septic arthritis may reduce mortality rates, and limit unnecessary surgical interventions, clinical parameters alone are not adequate for making the diagnosis of septic arthritis. Therefore, relevant laboratory parameters are used to enhance diagnostic sensitivity. The aim of our study was to assist in making the diagnosis of septic arthritis, and prevent delays in the diagnosis. For this purpose; we aimed to determine the diagnostic values of human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (HNP 1-3) and procalcitonin (PCT) in synovial fluids of patients with arthritis. By comparing the HNP 1-3 and procalcitonin levels, as well as CRP, in synovial fluid aspirates, we evaluated the significance of these data in the differential diagnosis of septic arthritis from noninfectious arthritis.MethodsA total of 67 adults consisting of 37 septic arthritis and 30 noninfectious arthritis patients were included in our study. As bioindicators; levels of HNP 1-3, PCT, synovial and serum CRP levels were found to have significant ROC areas in discriminating septic arthritis patients from noninfectious arthritis patients.ResultsAs a result, synovial fluid HNP 1-3 levels were significantly higher in septic arthritis patients compared to noninfectious arthritis patients (p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of HNP 1-3 levels in the diagnosis of septic and noninfectious arthritis were found as 86%, 87%, and 87%, respectively (AUC of the ROC curve = 0.828).ConclusionsIt was decided that the level of HNP 1-3 in the synovial fluid can be used as an alternative indicator in the diagnosis of septic arthritis.