Application values of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in neonatal community-acquired pneumonia

Objective: To explore the application values of procalcitonin( PCT) and C-reactive protein( CRP) in neonatal community- acquired pneumonia( CAP). Methods: A total of 274 neonates were selected from the hospital and divided into bacterium group,virus group and healthy control group. According to the evaluation criteria designed by ICSH,electrochemiluminescence and immunoturbidimetry were used to detect PCT and CRP respectively. Results: There were statistically significant differences in PCT and CRP levels,white blood cell( WBC) count between bacterium group and virus group( F = 21. 349,P 0. 05; F = 234. 988,P 0. 05; F = 73. 96,P 0. 05). There were also statistically significant differences in PCT and CRP levels,WBC count between bacterium group and healthy control group( F = 21. 390,P 0. 05; F = 262. 365,P 0. 05; F = 87. 235,P 0. 05). There was no statistically significant difference in PCT and CRP levels between virus group and healthy control group( F = 3. 032,P 0. 05; F = 2. 684,P 0. 05). There were statistically significant differences in sensitivity and specificity between PCT and CRP in diagnosis of viral infection in bacterium group( χ2= 11. 812,P 0. 05). Taking PCT 0. 5 ng /ml as critical value,the sensitivity and specificity of PCT in diagnosis of bacterial infection were 80. 4%( 74/92) and 96.6%( 86/89),respectively; taking CRP 8 mg/L as critical value,the sensitivity and specificity of CRP in diagnosis of bacterial infection were 67. 4%( 62 /92) and 92. 1%( 82 /89),respectively. Conclusion: PCT is a good indicator to detect neonatal CAP,which not only has high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of systematic bacterial infection,but also can monitor change of the disease dynamically,reflect the severity of bacterial infection and provide an objective basis for clinicians to evaluate prognosis of the disease; serum PCT detection results can reflect the curative effect of antibacterial drugs and provide a basis for clinicians to adjust antibacterial drugs timely,PCT and CRP detection should be carried out as soon as possible.