Clinical significance of serum procalcitonin level for rational use of antibiotics in patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection

Objective To explore the clinical significance of serum procalcitonin (PCT) level in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection.Methods 199 patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection treated at Jiangmen central hospital from Jan 2013 to Nov 2013 were divided into a conventional group(n=101) and a PCT group(n=98).The conventional group was treated with antibiotic according to the antibiotic guidance,while the PCT group with antibiotic according to serum PCT levels.Both groups were also treated with routine therapy.The clinical efficacies,defervescence times,ratio of antibiotics usage,courses of antibiotics treatment and incidences of adverse reaction in both groups were observed.The cost of antibiotics and total cost were compared between the two groups.Results The ratio of antibiotics usage,course of antibiotics treatment,cost of antibiotics,and total costs were 51.49％,(3.01 ± 0.77) d,(159.98 ± 188.17) yuan,and (880.42 ± 349.16) yuan in the PCT group and were 90.82％,(4.37 ± 0.62) d,(228.71 ± 147.85) yuan,and (975.22 ± 403.02) yuan in the conventional group,with statistical differences (P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences in clinical efficacy and defervescence time between the PCT group and conventional group(89.1 1％ vs.92.86％,[3.29 ± 1.45] d vs.[3.40 ± 1.69] d).Conclusions Serum PCT level is useful for guiding antibiotics usage in the patients with acute upper respiratory tract infection. Key words: Acute upper respiratory tract infection;  Procalcitonin;  Antibiotics