Diagnositic value of serum procalcitonin in lower respiratory tract infection in children

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of serum procalationin(PCT) in children with lower respiratory tract infection.Methods The serum PCT level in 60 children with lower respiratory tract infection was measured by electrochemiluminescence immune assay(ECLIA).The results were compared with the levels of C-reaction protein(CRP) and white blood cell count(WBC).Results The positive rate of the serum PCT in bacterial infected group was significantly higher than in non-bacterial infected group( P ＜ 0.01 ).In bacterial infected group,both positive rate of the serum PCT and CRP had no statistically significant difference( P ＞ 0.05 ),whereas,positive rate of the serum PCT was significantly higher than that of WBC ( P ＜ 0.05 ) ; In non-bacterial infected group,positive rate of the serum PCT was significantly lower than that of CRP and WBC( all P ＜0.01 ).Conclusion In children with lower respiratory tract infection,PCT was significantly better and specific for bacterial infection,diagnosis than CRP or WBC count. Key words: Procalationin;  Bacterial infection;  Diagnosis;  Child