Publication
Title
Comparison of the power of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein to discriminate between different aetiologies of fever in prolonged profound neutropenia : a single-centre prospective observational study
Author
Abstract
Management of fever in prolonged, profound neutropenia remains challenging with many possible infectious and non-infectious causes. We investigated whether procalcitonin (PCT) is superior to C-reactive protein (CRP) in discriminating between different aetiologies of fever in this setting. CRP and PCT were tested daily during 93 neutropenic episodes in 66 patients. During this study period, 121 febrile episodes occurred and were classified into four categories based on clinical and microbiological findings: microbiologically documented infection (MDI); clinically documented infection (CDI); proven or probable invasive fungal disease (IFD); fever of unknown origin (FUO). Values of PCT and CRP at fever onset as well as two days later were considered for analysis of their performance in distinguishing aetiologies of fever. At fever onset, no significant difference in PCT values was observed between different aetiologies of fever, whereas median CRP values were significantly higher in case of IFD (median 98.8 mg/L vs 28.8 mg/L, p=0.027). Both PCT and CRP reached their peak at a median of 2 days after fever onset. Median PCT values on day 2 showed no significant difference between the aetiologies of fever. Median CRP values on day 2 were significantly higher in IFD (median 172 mg/L versus 78.4 mg/L, p=0.002). In MDI median CRP values rose > 100 mg/L, whereas they did not in CDI or FUO. PCT has no added value over CRP for clinical management of fever in prolonged, profound neutropenia. When performing reassessment 2 days after fever onset, CRP has better discriminatory power between aetiologies of fever.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases
Publication
2019
ISSN
2035-3006
DOI
10.4084/MJHID.2019.023
Volume/pages
11 (2019) , 8 p.
Article Reference
e2019023
ISI
000462369400002
Pubmed ID
30858961
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 02.05.2019
Last edited 02.10.2024
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