Noh SH, Park SD, Kim EJ. Serum Procalcitonin Level Reflects the Severity of Cellulitis.
Ann Dermatol 2016;
28:704-710. [PMID:
27904269 PMCID:
PMC5125951 DOI:
10.5021/ad.2016.28.6.704]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Cellulitis is a common bacterial infection of the superficial skin. Procalcitonin is one of the precursor proteins of calcitonin, its levels are elevated in bacterial infection, and it has been established as a diagnostic marker for severe bacterial infections.
Objective
This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of procalcitonin for predicting disease severity and prognosis of cellulitis.
Methods
We reviewed the medical records of 160 patients diagnosed with cellulitis in the past 3 years. Body temperature, procalcitonin, white blood cell (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured on their first day of admission. The associations of procalcitonin, WBC, ESR, and CRP with the body temperature and the number of hospitalized days were assessed.
Results
Procalcitonin, WBC, and CRP showed a positive correlation with body temperature. In addition, procalcitonin, WBC, ESR, and CRP showed a positive correlation with number of hospitalized days (p<0.05).
Conclusion
In patients diagnosed with cellulitis, proclacitonin was a helpful parameter to indicate the severity of disease and also a useful predictor of prognosis.
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