Clinical value of determination of procalcitonin in guiding use of antibiotics for HAP in elderly cancer patients with neutropenia after chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE To explore the clinical value of procalcitonin(PCT) in guiding the use of antibiotics for hospital-acquired pneumonia in elderly cancer patients with neutropenia after chemotherapy.METHODS We selected 42 HAP cancer patients with neutropenia after chemotherapy,they were randomly divided into two groups(A and B).Group A was regular antibiotic therapy group.Group B was PCT-directed therapy group.The clinical outcomes between the two groups were evaluated with the duration of using antibiotics,utilization rate of antibiotics,inflammatory indicators.RESULTS There was no statistical difference between group A and group B concerning WBC,neutrophils,and CRP,the CPIS in group B was(4.1±1.2) points,significantly lower than(4.6±1.76) points in group A,with statistical difference(t=2.16,P0.05);all of the inflammatory indicators except WBC,neutrophils,CRP,CPIS,and PCT were significantly dec eased as compared with those before the treatment(P0.05),the duration of using antibiotics and the utilization rate were significantly lower in group B [(11±4)d,and 55.0%] than in group A(P0.01);the hospital stay in ICU and the duration of mechanical ventilation of group were significantly prolonged(all P0.01).CONCLUSION To reasonably use antibiotics by referring the PCT value can achieve better clinical efficacy in the treatment of HAP in elderly cancer patients with neutropenia after chemotherapy.