Abstract
Objective: Procalcitonin (PCT), a precursor hormone of calcitonin is secreted from the thyroid. It was increased in blood in bacterial infections. The aim of the study was to determine the serum procalcitonin levels in differentiating community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from pulmonary embolism (PE).
Methods and patients: Fifty-eight patients with ≥1 of the following symptoms; fever, cough, dyspnoea, haemoptysis, sputum, chest pain and lesion on chest x ray were included to the study. Thirty patients were diagnosed as CAP and 27 patients as PE. One patient with suspected PE was excluded because of negative pulmonary CT angiography. Serum PCT values of all patients were measured and recorded before treatment was started.
Results: Median values of PCT were in patients with PE 0.05 ng/ml, in patients with CAP 1.38 ng/ml. The area under ROC curve was 0.83. With an optimal cut-off value 0.27 ng/ml for differentiating PE and CAP, sensitivity was 76.4%, specificity 85.2%, negative predictive value 76.7%, positive predictive value 85.2%, and accuracy 80.7%.
Conclusion: Serum PCT has a high diagnostic value in the differential diagnosis of PE and CAP. Serum PCT can be used in differentiating CAP and PE as an inflammatory marker.
- © 2011 ERS
