calca-protein--human and Skin-Diseases--Bacterial

Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is an established diagnostic marker for severe or systemic bacterial infections such as pneumonia, sepsis and septic shock. Data regarding the role of PCT in localized infections without systemic inflammatory response syndrome are scarce. The aim of this review is to assess the value of PCT measurements in localized infections such as skin and skin structure infections, diabetic foot infections, septic arthritis (SA) and osteomyelitis. It appears that serum PCT is unlikely to change the clinical practice in skin and skin structure infection. However, serum PCT could have a role in diagnosis and monitoring of diabetic foot infections in hospitalized settings. There are conflicting reports regarding the ability of serum PCT to distinguish SA from non-SA; synovial PCT may be more appropriate in these settings, including in implant-related infections. Better designed studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of PCT with or without other biomarkers in localized infections.

Topics: Arthritis, Infectious; Biomarkers; Calcitonin; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Diabetic Foot; Humans; Osteomyelitis; Protein Precursors; Skin; Skin Diseases, Bacterial

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a specific biomarker for early detection of bacterial infections. While the usefulness of procalcitonin in severe conditions such as sepsis is well established, its relevance in the diagnosis and prognosis of localized cutaneous bacterial infections is unknown. Our aim was to initially evaluate if PCT is a useful parameter for predicting the severity of skin and skin structure infections (SSSI). Furthermore, the correlation of PCT levels with C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and body temperature was investigated.. Serum PCT, routine laboratory parameters, and body temperature were regularly examined in 50 consecutive patients with SSSI requiring inpatient intravenous antibiotic treatment. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to the guidelines developed by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) as having either an uncomplicated (SSSI) or a complicated skin and skin structure infection (cSSSI).. No significant correlation could be detected between the length of inpatient antibiotic treatment and PCT on days 1, 2, 3, and the maximum value on these days. The same result was found when uncomplicated SSSI and complicated SSSI (cSSSI) were evaluated separately. However, PCT levels were significantly higher in the latter. Furthermore, PCT levels showed a significant correlation with CRP, leukocyte count, ESR, and body temperature.. PCT might be a useful additional tool for initial diagnosis and monitoring of patients with SSSI.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Austria; Biomarkers; Calcitonin; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pilot Projects; Prevalence; Protein Precursors; Reproducibility of Results; Risk Factors; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Skin Diseases, Bacterial; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Statistics as Topic