The association of serum procalcitonin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein with pneumonia in elderly multimorbid patients with respiratory symptoms: retrospective cohort study

Post-operative C-reactive protein as a strong independent predictor of long-term colorectal cancer outcomes: consistent findings from two large patient cohorts

BACKGROUND

Post-surgery blood-based biomarkers may be useful for guiding treatment and surveillance decisions among colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. However, most candidate biomarkers provide little if any predictive value beyond stage at diagnosis. We aimed to investigate the independent prognostic value of post-operative serum C-reactive protein (CRP), a highly sensitive biomarker of inflammation, for long-term CRC outcomes in two large patient cohorts.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CRP levels were measured from serum samples of CRC patients collected ≥1 month post-surgery in the German DACHS (n = 1416) and the UK Biobank (n = 1149) cohorts. Associations of post-operative CRP with overall survival (OS) and CRC-specific survival (CSS) were assessed using Cox regression and presented as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for key sociodemographic and clinical covariates.

RESULTS

In both cohorts, consistent strong dose-response relationships between post-operative CRP and both OS and CSS were observed. Adjusted HRs (95% CI) for CRP >10 versus <3 mg/l were 1.93 (1.58-2.35) and 2.70 (2.03-3.59) in the DACHS cohort, and 2.70 (1.96-3.71) and 2.61 (1.83-3.72) in the UK Biobank cohort, respectively. Associations between post-operative CRP and OS were particularly strong among younger patients (<65 years at diagnosis; P value for interaction by age <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum CRP determined a month or more after surgery may be useful as a strong independent prognostic biomarker for guiding therapeutic decisions and for surveillance of the course of disease of CRC patients, particularly those <65 years of age at diagnosis.

Emergency department patient and physician survey accuracy compared to chart abstraction in patients with acute respiratory illness

BACKGROUND

High-quality research studies in older adults are needed. Unfortunately, the accuracy of chart review data in older adult patients has been called into question by previous studies. Little is known on this topic in patients with suspected pneumonia, a disease with 500,000 annual older adult U.S. emergency department (ED) visits that presents a diagnostic challenge to ED physicians. The study objective was to compare direct interview and chart abstraction as data sources.

METHODS

We present a preplanned secondary analysis of a prospective, observational cohort of ED patients ≥65 years of age with suspected pneumonia in two Midwest EDs. We describe the agreement between chart review and a criterion standard of prospective direct patient survey (symptoms) or direct physician survey (examination findings). Data were collected by chart review and from the patient and treating physician by survey.

RESULTS

The larger study enrolled 135 older adults; 134 with complete symptom data and 129 with complete examination data were included in this analysis. Pneumonia symptoms (confusion, malaise, rapid breathing, any cough, new/worse cough, any sputum production, change to sputum) had agreement between patient/legally authorized representative survey and chart review ranging from 47.8% (malaise) to 80.6% (confusion). All examination findings (rales, rhonchi, wheeze) had percent agreement between physician survey and chart review of ≥80%. However, all kappas except wheezing were less than 0.60, indicating weak agreement.

CONCLUSIONS

Both patient symptoms and examination findings demonstrated discrepancies between chart review and direct survey with larger discrepancies in symptoms reported. Researchers should consider these potential discrepancies during study design and data interpretation.

Preparing of Point-of-Care Reagents for Risk Assessment in the Elderly at Home by a Home-Visit Nurse and Verification of Their Analytical Accuracy

With the rising number of older adults residing at home, there is a growing need for risk assessment and patient management in home nursing. This study aims to develop point-of-care test (POCT) reagents that can aid in risk assessment and home care, especially in settings with limited resources. Our focus was on creating a C-reactive protein (CRP) POCT, which can accurately diagnose clinically significant judgment values in home nursing. Additionally, we assessed the utility of the HemoCue WBC DIFF system in providing differential counts of white blood cells (WBC). These performances were compared with a laboratory test using blood samples from patients with pneumonia. The CRP POCT showed a comparable result to that of a laboratory method, with an average kappa index of 0.883. The leukocyte count showed good agreement with the reference method. While the correlation coefficients for both neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were deemed acceptable, it was observed that the measured values tended to be smaller in cases where the cell count was higher. This proportional error indicates a weak correlation with the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. CRP POCT and WBC counts provided reliable and accurate judgments. These tools may benefit risk management for older adults at home, patients with dementia who cannot communicate, and those living in depopulated areas.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Roles of Procalcitonin and Other Tools in Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Narrative Review

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is among the most common causes of death and one of the leading healthcare concerns worldwide. It can evolve into sepsis and septic shock, which have a high mortality rate, especially in critical patients and comorbidities. The definitions of sepsis were revised in the last decade as "life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection". Procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and complete blood count, including white blood cells, are among the most commonly analyzed sepsis-specific biomarkers also used in pneumonia in a broad range of studies. It appears to be a reliable diagnostic tool to expedite care of these patients with severe infections in the acute setting. PCT was found to be superior to most other acute phase reactants and indicators, including CRP as a predictor of pneumonia, bacteremia, sepsis, and poor outcome, although conflicting results exist. In addition, PCT use is beneficial to judge timing for the cessation of antibiotic treatment in most severe infectious states. The clinicians should be aware of strengths and weaknesses of known and potential biomarkers in expedient recognition and management of severe infections. This manuscript is intended to present an overview of the definitions, complications, and outcomes of CAP and sepsis in adults, with special regard to PCT and other important markers.

Diagnostic des pneumonies aiguës communautaires aux urgences et distinction entre étiologie virale ou bactérienne

La pandémie actuelle liée à l’émergence du SARSCoV-2 en 2019 a considérablement modifié la perception des médecins de l’impact des virus respiratoires et de leur rôle dans les pneumonies aiguës communautaires (PAC). Alors que plus de 25 % des tableaux de PAC chez l’adulte étaient d’origine virale, les virus respiratoires étaient souvent perçus comme des agents pathogènes peu graves. Devant le défi que représente encore à nos jours la documentation microbiologique d’une PAC, l’instauration d’un traitement empirique par antibiotiques est souvent réalisée aux urgences. La pandémie de COVID-19 a surtout mis en exergue le rôle déterminant de la biologie moléculaire et du scanner thoracique dans l’algorithme diagnostique de la PAC. En effet, un diagnostic rapide et fiable est la clé pour améliorer les mesures de précaution et réduire la prescription inutile d’antibiotiques. Du fait de prises en charges très différentes, il est nécessaire de distinguer l’étiologie virale de la bactérienne d’une PAC.

Biomarkers as point-of-care tests to guide prescription of antibiotics in people with acute respiratory infections in primary care

BACKGROUND

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are by far the most common reason for prescribing an antibiotic in primary care, even though the majority of ARIs are of viral or non-severe bacterial aetiology. It follows that in many cases antibiotic use will not be beneficial to a patient's recovery but may expose them to potential side effects. Furthermore, limiting unnecessary antibiotic use is a key factor in controlling antibiotic resistance. One strategy to reduce antibiotic use in primary care is point-of-care biomarkers. A point-of-care biomarker (test) of inflammation identifies part of the acute phase response to tissue injury regardless of the aetiology (infection, trauma, or inflammation) and may be used as a surrogate marker of infection, potentially assisting the physician in the clinical decision whether to use an antibiotic to treat ARIs. Biomarkers may guide antibiotic prescription by ruling out a serious bacterial infection and help identify patients in whom no benefit from antibiotic treatment can be anticipated. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2014.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the benefits and harms of point-of-care biomarker tests of inflammation to guide antibiotic treatment in people presenting with symptoms of acute respiratory infections in primary care settings regardless of patient age.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL (2022, Issue 6), MEDLINE (1946 to 14 June 2022), Embase (1974 to 14 June 2022), CINAHL (1981 to 14 June 2022), Web of Science (1955 to 14 June 2022), and LILACS (1982 to 14 June 2022). We also searched three trial registries (10 December 2021) for completed and ongoing trials.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in primary care patients with ARIs that compared the use of point-of-care biomarkers with standard care. We included trials that randomised individual participants, as well as trials that randomised clusters of patients (cluster-RCTs).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently extracted data on the following primary outcomes: number of participants given an antibiotic prescription at index consultation and within 28 days follow-up; participant recovery within seven days follow-up; and total mortality within 28 days follow-up. We assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the certainty of the evidence using GRADE. We used random-effects meta-analyses when feasible. We further analysed results with considerable heterogeneity in prespecified subgroups of individual and cluster-RCTs.

MAIN RESULTS

We included seven new trials in this update, for a total of 13 included trials. Twelve trials (10,218 participants in total, 2335 of which were children) evaluated a C-reactive protein point-of-care test, and one trial (317 adult participants) evaluated a procalcitonin point-of-care test. The studies were conducted in Europe, Russia, and Asia. Overall, the included trials had a low or unclear risk of bias. However all studies were open-labelled, thereby introducing high risk of bias due to lack of blinding. The use of C-reactive protein point-of-care tests to guide antibiotic prescription likely reduces the number of participants given an antibiotic prescription, from 516 prescriptions of antibiotics per 1000 participants in the control group to 397 prescriptions of antibiotics per 1000 participants in the intervention group (risk ratio (RR) 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69 to 0.86; 12 trials, 10,218 participants; I² = 79%; moderate-certainty evidence).  Overall, use of C-reactive protein tests also reduce the number of participants given an antibiotic prescription within 28 days follow-up (664 prescriptions of antibiotics per 1000 participants in the control group versus 538 prescriptions of antibiotics per 1000 participants in the intervention group) (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.86; 7 trials, 5091 participants; I² = 29; high-certainty evidence). The prescription of antibiotics as guided by C-reactive protein tests likely does not reduce the number of participants recovered, within seven or 28 days follow-up (567 participants recovered within seven days follow-up per 1000 participants in the control group versus 584 participants recovered within seven days follow-up per 1000 participants in the intervention group) (recovery within seven days follow-up: RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.12; I² = 0%; moderate-certainty evidence) (recovery within 28 days follow-up: RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.32; I² = 0%; moderate-certainty evidence). The use of C-reactive protein tests may not increase total mortality within 28 days follow-up, from 1 death per 1000 participants in the control group to 0 deaths per 1000 participants in the intervention group (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.10 to 2.92; I² = 0%; low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain as to whether procalcitonin affects any of the primary or secondary outcomes because there were few participants, thereby limiting the certainty of evidence. We assessed the certainty of the evidence as moderate to high according to GRADE for the primary outcomes for C-reactive protein test, except for mortality, as there were very few deaths, thereby limiting the certainty of the evidence.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The use of C-reactive protein point-of-care tests as an adjunct to standard care likely reduces the number of participants given an antibiotic prescription in primary care patients who present with symptoms of acute respiratory infection. The use of C-reactive protein point-of-care tests likely does not affect recovery rates. It is unlikely that further research will substantially change our conclusion regarding the reduction in number of participants given an antibiotic prescription, although the size of the estimated effect may change.  The use of C-reactive protein point-of-care tests may not increase mortality within 28 days follow-up, but there were very few events. Studies that recorded deaths and hospital admissions were performed in children from low- and middle-income countries and older adults with comorbidities.  Future studies should focus on children, immunocompromised individuals, and people aged 80 years and above with comorbidities. More studies evaluating procalcitonin and potential new biomarkers as point-of-care tests used in primary care to guide antibiotic prescription are needed.  Furthermore, studies are needed to validate C-reactive protein decision algorithms, with a specific focus on potential age group differences.

Evaluation of the factors affecting long-term mortality in geriatric patients followed up in intensive care unit due to hospital-acquired pneumonia

Aging is a normal physiological process involving changes in the respiratory system, thereby causing an increased incidence of pulmonary infections such as hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). The primary aim of this study was to investigate the role of acute-phase reactants and inflammation-based biomarkers in predicting 90-day mortality in patients aged over 65 years who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to HAP. Clinical records of patients aged ≥65 years who were diagnosed as having HAP and were followed up in ICU were retrospectively evaluated. One hundred and fifteen ICU patients (67.8% male, mean age 76.81 ± 7.480 years) were studied. Ninety-day mortality occurred in 43 (37.4%) patients. Red cell distribution (RDW, %), mean platelet volume (MPV, f/L), white blood cell count (WBC, 103/μL), C-reactive protein (CRP, mg/L), and procalcitonin (PCT, ng/mL) median values were 18.2 (13.7-35.6), 7.42 (5.66-11.2), 14.3 (3.21-40), 9.58 (0.12-32), 0.41 (0.05-100) in the group with 90-day mortality. In the Receiver Operator Characteristics Curve analysis, a WBC value 18.2 × 10ˆ3/μL predicted 90-day independent mortality with a sensitivity of 90.70% and specificity of 31.94% (P = .029). The results indicated that serum WBC level can be used for predicting long-term mortality and prognosis in HAP patients aged over 65 years. High WBC value was statistically significant in predicting 90-day independent mortality (P < .05).

Association between anesthesia technique and complications after hip surgery in the elderly population

BACKGROUND

Spinal anesthesia is superior to general anesthesia for postoperative recovery in older patients (≥ 65 age). However, evidence for this is lacking.

AIM

To evaluate the effect of anesthesia on postoperative complications in older patients undergoing hip surgery.

METHODS

This is a retrospective, propensity score-matched, cohort study. Patients ≥ 65-years-old who underwent hip surgery at the Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Provincial Hospital in China from October 2016 to June 2020 were included. The operative methods were femoral fracture’s internal fixation and hip replacement. The orthopedic doctors in different hospitals of our group have varied requirements for patients’ out-of-bed time after surgery. Therefore, spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia was selected according to the requirements of the orthopedic doctors. The primary outcome of this study was complications during the hospitalization of the postoperative patient. The length of hospital stay, postoperative blood transfusion, routine blood analysis, renal function, coagulation function, and inflammatory correlations were secondary outcomes. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed utilizing logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among the 864 patients identified from the electronic medical record data database, we screened out those with incomplete medical record data. After PSM of the baseline values of the two groups of patients, data of 309 patients (206 patients in spinal anesthesia group and 103 patients in general anesthesia) were utilized in this study. 67/309 patients had complications, including postoperative limb dysfunction, pulmonary infection, delirium, lower extremity venous thrombosis, and shock. The incidence of complications was not related to anesthesia methods (P > 0.05), but the levels of D-Dimer (P = 0.017), fibrinogen (P = 0.005), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (P = 0.002) in the spinal anesthesia group were significantly higher than those in the general anesthesia group.

CONCLUSION

Anesthesia technology is not a risk factor for postoperative complications of hip surgery. The levels of D-Dimer and hsCRP were higher in the spinal anesthesia group.

Factors associated with mortality in younger and older (≥75 years) hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia is among the most serious infections in the elderly. The evaluation of prognosis and predicting the outcome is essential in managing the treatment of patients with pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate factors that might affect the mortality of elderly patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in two age groups.

DESIGN

Medical record review.

SETTINGS

Tertiary care hospital.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included CAP patients who were hospitalized during the period from January 2017 and December 2019. The CURB-65 scale was chosen to assess the severity of pneumonia on admission. Multivariate analyses were conducted separately for patients younger than 75 years and 75 years or older.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

30-day mortality, factors associated with mortality.

SAMPLE SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS

1603 patients with a median age of 74, including 918 women (57%).

RESULTS

The 30-day mortality rate was 6.5%. Patients with carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria had lower survival rates (P<.0001). In the multivariate analysis, age, lung cancer, CURB-65, carbapenem resistance, and duration of hospital stay were associated with mortality in patients aged 75 years or older. Lung cancer, malignant disease, carbapenem resistance, duration of hospital stay and procalcitonin level were associated with mortality under the age of 75. Of 640 sputum cultures tested, P aeruginosa (42%) was the most common pathogen.

CONCLUSION

The risk factors that affected mortality differed among patients aged 75 years or older versus younger patients. Our findings are important in determining factors associated with mortality in managing the treatment and follow up of hospitalized CAP patients younger or 75 years of age or older.

LIMITATIONS

Single-center, retrospective.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

Implementation and Use of Point-of-Care C-Reactive Protein Testing in Nursing Homes

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated logistics, process data, and barriers/facilitators for the implementation and use of C-reactive protein point-of-care testing (CRP POCT) for suspected lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in nursing home (NH) residents.

DESIGN

This process evaluation was performed alongside a cluster randomized, controlled trial (UPCARE study) to evaluate the effect of CRP POCT on antibiotic prescribing for suspected LRTIs in NH residents.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Eleven NHs in the Netherlands.

METHODS

Data sources for process data regarding intervention quality included a questionnaire among NH staff, logs, reports, and CRP POCT-analyzer records. Barriers and facilitators for implementation were assessed in focus group interviews with physicians and nurses from 3 NHs.

RESULTS

Correct patient selection for CRP POCT and generally continued CRP POCT use indicated good fidelity. The initial training and training of new employees seemed to fit the need, but some POCT-user group sizes had increased over time, which could have impeded frequent use. Users were generally satisfied with CRP POCT and perceived its use feasible and relevant. Facilitators for implementation were initial commitment and active initiation, followed by continued attention and enthusiasm for building routine practice and trust. Short lines of communication between staff, short distance to the POCT-analyzer, 24/7 coverage of staff, and a clear task division facilitated continued attention and routine practice.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

This process evaluation showed sufficient quality of providing CRP POCT in Dutch NHs. We processed findings of intervention quality and implementation knowledge into key recommendations for CRP POCT implementation in this setting. Future research could focus on CRP POCT use in countries with different organization of care in NHs.

Effect of C reactive protein point-of-care testing on antibiotic prescribing for lower respiratory tract infections in nursing home residents: cluster randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether C reactive protein point-of-care testing (CRP POCT) safely reduces antibiotic prescribing for lower respiratory tract infections in nursing home residents.

DESIGN

Pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

The UPCARE study included 11 nursing home organisations in the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS

84 physicians from 11 nursing home organisations included 241 participants with suspected lower respiratory tract infections from September 2018 to the end of March 2020.

INTERVENTIONS

Nursing homes allocated to the intervention group had access to CRP POCT. The control group provided usual care without CRP POCT for patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infections.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measure was antibiotic prescribing at initial consultation. Secondary outcome measures were full recovery at three weeks, changes in antibiotic management and additional diagnostics during follow-up at one week and three weeks, and hospital admission and all cause mortality at any point (initial consultation, one week, or three weeks).

RESULTS

Antibiotics were prescribed at initial consultation for 84 (53.5%) patients in the intervention group and 65 (82.3%) in the control group. Patients in the intervention group had 4.93 higher odds (95% confidence interval 1.91 to 12.73) of not being prescribed antibiotics at initial consultation compared with the control group, irrespective of treating physician and baseline characteristics. The between group difference in antibiotic prescribing at any point from initial consultation to follow-up was 23.6%. Differences in secondary outcomes between the intervention and control groups were 4.4% in full recovery rates at three weeks (86.4% v 90.8%), 2.2% in all cause mortality rates (3.5% v 1.3%), and 0.7% in hospital admission rates (7.2% v 6.5%). The odds of full recovery at three weeks, and the odds of mortality and hospital admission at any point did not significantly differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

CRP POCT for suspected lower respiratory tract infection safely reduced antibiotic prescribing compared with usual care in nursing home residents. The findings suggest that implementing CRP POCT in nursing homes might contribute to reduced antibiotic use in this setting and help to combat antibiotic resistance.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Netherlands Trial Register NL5054.

Early warning of bloodstream infection in elderly patients with circulating microparticles

Background

The difficulty of early diagnosis of bloodstream infection in the elderly patients leads to high mortality. Therefore, it is essential to determine some new methods of early warning of bloodstream infection in the elderly patients for timely adjustment of treatment and improvement of prognosis.

Methods

Patients aged over 65 years with suspected bloodstream infections were included and divided into bloodstream infection (BSI) and non-bloodstream infection (non-BSI) groups based on blood culture results. The morphology of microparticles (MPs) was observed by using transmission electron microscopy, and the number of MPs was dynamically monitored by flow cytometry.

Results

A total of 140 patients were included in the study: 54 in the BSI group and 86 in the non-BSI group. Total MPs (T-MPs) ≥ 6000 events/µL (OR, 7.693; 95% CI 2.944–20.103, P < 0.0001), neutrophil-derived MPs (NMPs) ≥ 500 events/µL (OR, 12.049; 95% CI 3.574–40.623, P < 0.0001), and monocyte counts ≤ 0.4 × 10⁹/L (OR, 3.637; 95% CI 1.415–9.348, P = 0.007) within 6 h of fever were independently associated with bloodstream infection in the elderly patients. We also developed an early warning model for bloodstream infection in the elderly patients with an area under the curve of 0.884 (95% CI 0.826–0.942, P < 0.0001), sensitivity of 86.8%, specificity of 76.5%, positive predictive value of 70.8%, and negative predictive value of 89.8%.

Conclusion

The early warning model of bloodstream infection based on circulating T-MPs, NMPs, and monocyte counts within 6 h of fever in the elderly patients was helpful in early detection of bloodstream infection and therefore promptly adjustment of treatment plan.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13613-021-00901-w.

The Clinical Significance of Procalcitonin Elevation in Patients over 75 Years Old Admitted for COVID-19 Pneumonia

Aim

To investigate the clinical significance of procalcitonin (PCT) elevation on hospital admission for coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and its association with mortality in oldest old patients (age > 75 years).

Methods

The clinical records of 1074 patients with chest high-resolution computed-tomography (HRCT) positive for interstitial pneumonia and symptoms compatible for COVID-19, hospitalized in medical wards during the first pandemic wave in a single academic center in Northern Italy, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had serum PCT testing performed within six hours from admission. Information on COVID-19-related symptoms, comorbidities, drugs, autonomy in daily activities, respiratory exchanges, other routine lab tests, and outcomes were collected. Clinical characteristics were compared across different admission PCT levels and ages. The association of admission PCT with mortality was tested separately in participants aged > 75 and ≤75 years old by stepwise multivariate Cox regression model with forward selection.

Results

With increasing classes of PCT levels (<0.05, 0.05-0.49, 0.5-1.99, and ≥2 ng/ml), there was a significant trend (P < 0.0001) towards older age, male gender, wider extension of lung involvement on HRCT, worse respiratory exchanges, and several other laboratory abnormalities. Each incremental PCT class was associated with increased risk of hospital death at multivariate models in subjects older than 75 (hazard ratio for PCT ≥ 2 vs. <0.05 ng/ml: 30.629, 95% confidence interval 4.176-224.645, P = 0.001), but not in subjects aged 75 or younger.

Conclusions

In patients admitted for COVID-19, PCT elevation was associated with several clinical, radiological, and laboratory characteristics of disease severity. However, PCT elevation was strongly associated with hospital mortality only in oldest old subjects (age > 75).

Diagnosing Dyspneic Older Adult Emergency Department Patients: A Pilot Study

Study Objectives:

Pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart failure (HF) exacerbations can present similarly in the older adult in the Emergency Department (ED), leading to sub-optimal treatment from over- and under-diagnosis. There may be a role for antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in improving the accurate diagnosis of pneumonia in these patients.

Methods:

This pilot was a prospective, observational cohort study of older adults (aged ≥65 years of age) who presented to the ED with dyspnea or elevated respiratory rate. To identify biomarkers of pneumonia, serum levels of white blood cell count, procalcitonin (PCT), and antimicrobial peptides (human beta defensin 1 and 2 [HBD-1, -2], human neutrophil peptides 1–3 [HNP1–3] and cathelididin [LL-37]) were compared between those with and without pneumonia. Criterion standard reviewers retrospectively determined the diagnoses present in the ED.

Results:

Three hundred ninety-one patients were screened, 140 were eligible, and 79 were enrolled. Based on criterion standard review, pneumonia was present in 10 (12.7%), COPD in 9 (11.4%) and HF in 31 (39.2%) with a co-diagnosis rate of 10.1% by criterion standard review. Comparatively, emergency medicine attending physicians diagnosed pneumonia in 16 (20.3%), COPD in 12 (15.2%), and HF in 30 (38.0%) with co-diagnosis rate of 15.2%. Emergency physicians agreed with criterion standard diagnoses in 90% of pneumonia, 75% of COPD and 65% of HF diagnoses. Differences in leukocyte count (p<0.01) and two novel AMPs (DEFA5 (p=0.08) and DEFB2 (p=0.09)) showed promise for diagnosing pneumonia.

Conclusions:

Emergency physicians continue to have poor diagnostic accuracy in dyspneic older adult patients. Serum AMP levels are one potential tool to improve diagnostic accuracy and outcomes for this important population and require further study.

Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein for Bacterial Infection Diagnosis in Elderly Patients After Traumatic Orthopedic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Biomarkers prove valuable for diagnosing postoperative bacterial infection, but data in elderly patients are scarce. Here we analyze how procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) perform for bacterial infection diagnosis after traumatic orthopedic surgery in elderly patients.

METHODS

We included all patients admitted to our perioperative geriatrics unit after traumatic orthopedic surgery. Patients on antibiotics, presenting preoperative bacterial infection, or without procalcitonin measurement were excluded. Clinical and biological data were collected prospectively. Medical charts were reviewed by three experts blinded to biomarker results to assess bacterial infection diagnosis. Areas under the curve and 90%-specificity thresholds were analyzed for baseline procalcitonin and CRP levels and relative variations.

RESULTS

Analysis included 229 patients (median age 86 years, hip fracture 83%), of which 40 had bacterial infection (pneumonia [n = 23], urinary tract infection [n = 8]; median delay to onset: 2 days post-admission). For bacterial infection diagnosis, the computed areas under the curve were not significantly different (procalcitonin-baseline 0.64 [95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.70]; procalcitonin-relative variation 0.65 [0.59-0.71]; CRP-baseline 0.68 [0.61-0.74]; CRP-relative variation 0.70 [0.64-0.76]). The 90%-specificity thresholds were 0.75 µg/L for procalcitonin-baseline, +62% for procalcitonin-variation, 222 mg/L for CRP-baseline, +111% for CRP-variation.

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic performances of procalcitonin and CRP were not significantly different. Baseline levels and relative variations of these biomarkers showed little diagnostic value after traumatic orthopedic surgery in elderly patients.

Pneumonia Lung Ultrasound Score (PLUS): A New Tool for Detecting Pneumonia in the Oldest Patients

OBJECTIVES

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS) and standard chest X-ray (CXR) in older patients admitted to an acute-care geriatric ward for suspected acute pneumonia, and to develop an easy-to-use diagnostic tool, now called Pneumonia Lung Ultrasound Score (PLUS), for early risk stratification.

DESIGN

Prospective, single-center, cohort study.

SETTING

Acute-care geriatric ward of tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals, aged 65 years and older, with suspected acute pneumonia.

MEASUREMENTS

Participants were stratified according to the Multidimensional Prognostic Index. All the patients underwent CXR and LUS, whereas chest computed tomography was performed in case of mismatch between LUS and CXR. Using logistic multivariate regression, we assessed the influence of age, sex, multimorbidity, cognitive impairment, and clinical biomarkers in the misdiagnosis of acute pneumonia. Finally, an easy-to-perform diagnostic tool based on the combination of biomarkers (brain natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and partial pressure arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio) and LUS was realized. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to verify the predictive accuracy of PLUS, CXR, and LUS in pneumonia diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 132 subjects (69% women; mean age = 85.3 ± 6.9 years) were enrolled in the study. Acute pneumonia was diagnosed in 94 of 132 cases. LUS showed higher diagnostic accuracy compared with CXR (0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.85-0.93) vs 0.67 (95% CI = 0.58-0.75)) in detecting pneumonic consolidations. A higher degree of cognitive impairment was associated with both LUS and CXR pneumonia misdiagnosis (odds ratio = 1.30 (95% CI = 1.04-1.65)). PLUS showed higher predictive accuracy in the diagnosis of acute pneumonia compared with LUS (AUC = 0.92 (95% CI = 0.87-0.98) vs 0.86 (95% CI = 0.80-0.96); P = .029).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the higher diagnostic accuracy of LUS compared with CXR for acute pneumonia in older adults. Nonetheless, the accuracy of PLUS, an easy-to-use, biomarker-derived diagnostic tool, was superior to LUS regardless of patients' degree of frailty.

Accuracy of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, serum amyloid A and neopterin for low-dose CT-scan confirmed pneumonia in elderly patients: A prospective cohort study

Objective

The diagnosis of pneumonia based on semiology and chest X-rays is frequently inaccurate, particularly in elderly patients. Older (C-reactive protein (CRP); procalcitonin (PCT)) or newer (Serum amyloid A (SAA); neopterin (NP)) biomarkers may increase the accuracy of pneumonia diagnosis, but data are scarce and conflicting. We assessed the accuracy of CRP, PCT, SAA, NP and the ratios CRP/NP and SAA/NP in a prospective observational cohort of elderly patients with suspected pneumonia.

Methods

We included consecutive patients more than 65 years old, with at least one respiratory symptom and one symptom or laboratory finding suggestive of infection, and a working diagnosis of pneumonia. Low-dose CT scan and comprehensive microbiological testing were done in all patients. The index tests, CRP, PCT, SAA and NP, were obtained within 24 hours. The reference diagnosis was assessed a posteriori by a panel of experts considering all available data, including patients’ outcome. We used area under the curve (AUROC) and Youden index to assess the accuracy and obtain optimal cut-off of the index tests.

Results

200 patients (median age 84 years) were included; 133 (67%) had pneumonia. AUROCs for the diagnosis of pneumonia was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.56–0.72) for CRP; 0.59 (95% CI: 0.51–0.68) for PCT; 0.60 (95% CI: 0.52–0.69) for SAA; 0.41 (95% CI: 0.32–0.49) for NP; 0.63 (95% CI: 0.55–0.71) for CRP/NP; and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.53–0.70) for SAA/NP. No cut-off resulted in satisfactory sensitivity or specificity.

Conclusions

Accuracy of traditional (CRP, PCT) and newly proposed biomarkers (SAA, NP) and ratios of CRP/NP and SAA/NP was too low to help diagnosing pneumonia in the elderly. CRP had the highest AUROC.

Clinical Trial Registration

NCT 02467092

Using point-of-care C-reactive protein to guide antibiotic prescribing for lower respiratory tract infections in elderly nursing home residents (UPCARE): study design of a cluster randomized controlled trial

Background

Antibiotics are over-prescribed for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in nursing home residents due to diagnostic uncertainty. Inappropriate antibiotic use is undesirable both on patient level, considering their exposure to side effects and drug interactions, and on societal level, given the development of antibiotic resistance. C-reactive protein (CRP) point-of-care testing (POCT) may be a promising diagnostic tool to reduce antibiotic prescribing for LRTI in nursing homes. The UPCARE study will evaluate whether the use of CRP POCT for suspected LRTI is (cost-) effective in reducing antibiotic prescribing in the nursing home setting.

Methods/design

A cluster randomized controlled trial will be conducted in eleven nursing homes in the Netherlands, with the nursing home as the unit of randomization. Residents with suspected LRTI who reside at a psychogeriatric, somatic, or geriatric rehabilitation ward are eligible for study participation. Nursing homes in the intervention group will provide care as usual with the possibility to use CRP POCT, and the control group will provide care as usual without CRP POCT for residents with (suspected) LRTI. Data will be collected from September 2018 for approximately 1.5 year, using case report forms that are integrated in the electronic patient record system. The primary study outcome is antibiotic prescribing for suspected LRTI at index consultation (yes/no).

Discussion

This is the first randomised trial to evaluate the effect of nursing home access to and training in the use of CRP POCT on antibiotic prescribing for LRTI, yielding high-level evidence and contributing to antibiotic stewardship in the nursing home setting. The relatively broad inclusion criteria and the pragmatic study design add to the applicability and generalizability of the study results.

Trial registration

Netherlands Trial Register, Trial NL5054. Registered 29 August 2018.

Community-acquired pneumonia in critically ill very old patients: a growing problem

Very old (aged ≥80 years) adults constitute an increasing proportion of the global population. Currently, this subgroup of patients represents an important percentage of patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) frequently affects very old adults. However, there are no specific recommendations for the management of critically ill very old CAP patients. Multiple morbidities, polypharmacy, immunosenescence and frailty contribute to an increased risk of pneumonia in this population. CAP in critically ill very old patients is associated with higher short- and long-term mortality; however, because of its uncommon presentation, diagnosis can be very difficult. Management of critically ill very old CAP patients should be guided by their baseline characteristics, clinical presentation and risk factors for multidrug-resistant pathogens. Hospitalisation in intermediate care may be a good option for critical ill very old CAP patients who do not require invasive procedures and for whom intensive care is questionable in terms of benefit.

There is currently no international recommendation for the management of critically ill older patients over 80 years of age with CAP. We report and discuss recent literature in order to help physicians in the decision-making process of these patients.http://bit.ly/2ql0mIz

Procalcitonin is not an independent predictor of 30-day mortality, albeit predicts pneumonia severity in patients with pneumonia acquired outside the hospital

Background

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful marker for pneumonia. However, its clinical usefulness in elderly patients has not been studied extensively. This study aimed to assess the relationship between PCT and prognosis and pneumonia severity in elderly patients with pneumonia acquired outside the hospital.

Methods

Data considered relevant to pneumonia severity and prognosis were retrospectively obtained from clinical charts of all patients with pneumonia who were admitted to our hospital from 2010 to 2017. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality in elderly patients (aged ≥75 years), and the relationship between PCT levels and pneumonia severity, as determined by the pneumonia severity index (PSI) was also examined.

Results

Data were collected from 667 patients, of which 436 were elderly patients. Multivariate and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that albumin, body mass index, and PSI class rather than PCT are important factors related to 30-day mortality in elderly patients. PCT was also not an independent prognostic factor in younger patients. PCT levels significantly differed by pneumonia severity (mild, moderate, and severe) in both younger (p < 0.001) and elderly (p < 0.0001) patients, with levels increasing as severity increased. In contrast, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and white blood cell counts did not significantly differ by pneumonia severity in younger and elderly patients. A subgroup analysis focused on Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia revealed that PCT levels differed by severity in elderly patients (p = 0.03), with levels increasing as severity increased.

Conclusion

PCT was not an independent predictor of 30-day mortality in both of elderly and younger patients. PCT levels, but not CRP levels, significantly increased with increasing pneumonia severity in younger and elderly patients, although the degree of increase tended to be lower in elderly patients compared to younger patients for the same severity. PCT levels also significantly increased with increasing pneumonia severity in elderly patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia.

The moderate predictive value of serial serum CRP and PCT levels for the prognosis of hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND

To predict the prognosis by observing the dynamic change of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) for hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

METHODS

The data were collected from January to December 2017 from the first affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Demographic and clinical patient information including age, length of hospital stay and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were recorded. Blood samples were taken for CRP, PCT, and white blood cell count (WBC). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to verify each biomarker's association with the prognosis of pneumonia.

RESULTS

A total of 350 patients were enrolled in the study. The 30-day mortality was 10.86%. Serial serum CRP3, CRP5, PCT3, PCT5 and PCT5c levels were statistically lower in CAP survivors than non-survivors. CRP3c < 0, CRP5c < 0 and PCT5c < 0 were observed with a statistically lower frequency in patients with 30-day mortality and initial treatment failure. The AUC for 30-day mortality for serial CRP levels combined with CRP clearances was 0.85 (95% CI 0.77-0.92), as compared to an AUC of 0.81 (95% CI 0.73-0.9) for serial PCT levels combined with PCT clearances.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum serial CRP and PCT levels had moderate predictive value for hospitalized CAP prognosis. The dynamic CRP and PCT changes may potentially be used in the future to predict hospitalized CAP prognosis.

The value of C-reactive protein in infection diagnosis and prognosis in elderly patients

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the value of C-reactive protein level in the diagnosis and prognosis of infection in elderly patients.

STUDY POPULATION

This prospective study included inpatients in the palliative care unit during the 1-year period between January 2016 and January 2017. Patients' demographic data, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation score, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 233 patients were included in the study. A total of 199 instances of infection were diagnosed in 175 of those patients; 75.3% of the infections were detected at admission and 24.7% during hospitalization. At a cut-off value of 4.82, CRP value had 81.0% specificity and 75.4% sensitivity in the diagnosis of infection. Among the patients with infection, there was no difference between those who died and those who survived in terms of baseline CRP level, but a significant difference emerged in CRP level at 48 and 96 h. Factors which were found to significantly reduce survival time were the presence of chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypoxia and tachycardia at admission, APACHE-II score over 20.5, initial albumin level below 2.44 g/dL, and serum CRP clearance rates of less than 11% at 48 h and 20% at 96 h.

CONCLUSION

In elderly patients with infection, the initial CRP value alone does not have prognostic value, but changes observed in serial CRP measurement are a valid indicator of prognosis.

Characteristics and Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the Era of Global Aging

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) can occur at any time of life, but its incidence and risk of death are linked to increasing age. CAP in the elderly is a major health problem associated with high rates of readmission, morbidity, and mortality. Since the clinical presentation of pneumonia in the elderly may be atypical, clinicians should suspect pneumonia in older patients presenting symptoms such as falls and altered mental status, fatigue, lethargy, delirium, anorexia, in order to avoid the complications associated with delayed diagnosis and therapy. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most frequently reported pathogen in this population. However, particular attention should be paid to patients with risk factors for multidrug resistant pathogens, because a large proportion of elderly persons present multimorbidity. Vaccination is one of the most important preventive approaches for CAP in the elderly. In addition, lifestyle-tailored interventions for different modifiable risk factors will help to reduce the risk of pneumonia in elderly persons. Surveillance of etiological pathogens may improve vaccination policies in this population.

Management of community-acquired pneumonia in immunocompetent adults: updated Swedish guidelines 2017

Based on expert group work, Swedish recommendations for the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults are here updated. The management of sepsis-induced hypotension is addressed in detail, including monitoring and parenteral therapy. The importance of respiratory support in cases of acute respiratory failure is emphasized. Treatment with high-flow oxygen and non-invasive ventilation is recommended. The use of statins or steroids in general therapy is not found to be fully supported by evidence. In the management of pleural infection, new data show favourable effects of tissue plasminogen activator and deoxyribonuclease installation. Detailed recommendations for the vaccination of risk groups are afforded.

Bacterial Pneumonia in Older Adults

The incidence of pneumonia increases with age, and is particularly high in patients who reside in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). Mortality rates for pneumonia in older adults are high and have not decreased in the last decade. Atypical symptoms and exacerbation of underlying illnesses should trigger clinical suspicion of pneumonia. Risk factors for multidrug-resistant organisms are more common in older adults, particularly among LTCF residents, and should be considered when making empiric treatment decisions. Monitoring of clinical stability and underlying comorbid conditions, potential drug-drug interactions, and drug-related adverse events are important factors in managing elderly patients with pneumonia.

Comparison of procalcitonin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein for the diagnosis of sepsis and septic shock in the oldest old patients

Background

Although the role of serum procalcitonin (PCT) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the diagnosis of sepsis and septic shock is well studied, it has not been investigated among oldest old patients. The aim of our study is to determine the role of PCT and hs-CRP in the assessment of sepsis and septic shock in this specific group of patients in the ICU.

Methods

This is a prospective observational study. Patients >85 years of age admitted to the ICU from May 1st, 2016 to February 1st, 2017 were evaluated. Patients were divided into a sepsis and septic shock group(sepsis/SS) and a non-sepsis group. Serum levels of PCT, hs-CRP and the WBC were measured within 12 h of admission.

Results

A total of 70 patients aged 85 years and older were enrolled in this study. Fifty patients were labelled as sepsis/SS and the other 20 were labelled non-sepsis. A ROC analysis showed that the area under the curves (AUC) of hs-CRP and PCT for the discrimination of sepsis/SS patients were 0.825 (95% confidence interval[CI]: 0.73-0.92; P < 0.001) and 0.819 (95%CI:0.72-0.92; p < 0.001), respectively. In a subgroup analysis of the sepsis/SS group, 27 patients had sepsis, while the other 23 patients had septic shock. The ROC analysis showed that the AUCs of hs-CRP and PCT for the discrimination of septic shock patients from sepsis patients were 0.751 (95% CI: 0.62-0.88; P = 0.002) and 0.719 (95% CI:0.57-0.86; p = 0.007), respectively.

Conclusion

For the oldest old patients, hs-CRP is not inferior to PCT in the diagnosis of sepsis and septic shock.

An update on the pharmacotherapeutic management of lower respiratory tract infections

INTRODUCTION

Our knowledge about lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) has improved substantially in the last years, but the management of respiratory infections is still a challenge and we are still far from using precision medicine in their treatment. Areas covered: The approaches developed in recent years to improve the pharmacotherapeutic management of LRTIs, such as novel diagnostic assays to facilitate medical decision-making, attempts for selecting an optimal empiric antibiotic regimen, and the role of new and possibly unproven adjunctive therapies, are described. Expert opinion: Early and appropriate antibiotics remain the cornerstone in the treatment of LRTIs. The updated trend is to apply antimicrobial stewardship principles and initiatives to optimize both the management and the outcomes of LTRIs. Biomarkers, mainly C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT), can improve the diagnostic and prognostic assessment of LRTIs and aid to guide antibiotic therapy. The widespread use of antimicrobial agents has greatly contributed to faster development of antibiotic resistance and the emergence of opportunistic pathogens, which substitute the indigenous microbiota. However, very few new antibiotics in development to overcome existing resistance and ensure continued success in the treatment of LRTIs have been approved, likely because antibiotic stewardship programs discourage the use of new agents.

Usefulness and prognostic value of biomarkers in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in the emergency department

Between all patients treated in the Emergency Department (ED), 1.35% are diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). CAP is the main cause of death due to infectious disease (10-14%) and the most frequent reason of sepsis-septic shock in the ED. In the last decade, the search for objective tools to help establishing an early diagnosis, bacterial aetiology, severity, suspicion of bacteremia and the prognosis of mortality has increased. Biomarkers have shown their usefulness in this matter. Procalcitonin (obtains the highest accuracy for CAP diagnosis, bacterial aetiology and the presence of bacteremia), lactate (biomarker of hypoxia and tissue hypoperfusion) and proadrenomedullin (which has the greatest accuracy to predict mortality which in combination with the prognostic severity scales obtains even better results). The aim of this review is to highlight recently published scientific evidence and to compare the utility and prognostic accuracy of the biomarkers in CAP patients treated in the ED.

Comparison between procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in predicting bacteremias and confounding factors: a case-control study

Background:

The detection of infectious bacteria in blood culture samples is important for diagnosis and treatment, but this requires 1–2 days at least, and is not adequate as a rapid test. Therefore, we have investigated the diagnostic ability and the optimal cutoff value of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) for predicting the bacteremias using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and relative cumulative frequency distribution (RCD) curves.

Methods:

A case-control study was performed in inpatients (852 subjects: 426 positive cultures and 426 negative cultures) from January 1 to December 31, 2014. We retrospectively investigated their blood culture and blood chemistry findings recorded in this period using electronic medical records.

Results:

Area under the ROC curve of PCT and CRP were 0.79 and 0.66, respectively. The optimal cutoff values were 0.5 μg/L with a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 70% for PCT and 50.0 mg/L with a sensitivity of 63% and specificity of 65% for CRP. When the optimal cutoff value was treated as a reference, the odds ratio (OR) was 71.11 and the hazard ratio (HR) was 6.27 for PCT >2.0 μg/L, and the risk of blood culture positivity was markedly elevated. PCT levels were significantly higher in the population with Gram-negative rod (GNR) infections than in the population with Gram-positive coccal (GPC) infections.

Conclusions:

The elevation of CRP and PCT were significantly associated with bacteremias. PCT was superior to CRP as a diagnostic indicator for predicting bacteremias, for discriminating bacterial from nonbacterial infections, and for determining bacterial species.

C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement in geriatric patients hospitalized for acute infection

The physiology of inflammatory response is modified by the aging process and is substantially affected by multimorbidity and disability. Infection is the most frequent cause of acute inflammation in both adult and older subjects. C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most used biomarker of inflammation, and a substantial amount of literature has demonstrated its importance and clinical usefulness in adult subjects. However, the clinical significance of serum CRP determination has not been completely clarified in older subjects with acute infection, especially in the light of the age-related rearrangements in immunity and cytokine production. Thus, in the present review, we focus on the existing knowledge about serum CRP level interpretation in geriatric patients hospitalized with acute infection. Our aims were to determine the significance of CRP measurement at hospital admission for establishing a diagnosis of infection and/or a prognosis and to evaluate whether it is indicated to repeat hs-CRP measurements during hospital stay for monitoring disease course and, possibly, guiding the discharge timing. We concluded that CRP dosage at hospital admission is helpful to detect acute infection, and particularly sepsis, in geriatric patients, and that CRP elevation may provide valuable short-term prognostic information. At the current state of art, serial CRP measurements are instead not indicated to monitor disease course and plan hospital discharge in this setting.

C-reactive protein as early predictor of complications after minimally invasive colorectal resection

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and enhanced recovery programs have been increasingly adopted in colorectal surgery. The aim of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the usefulness of the C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration measured on postoperative day 3 (POD-3) as an early predictor of severe complications after minimally invasive colorectal resection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From January 2014 to December 2015, 160 patients underwent resection of colorectal disease by MIS at the Division of General and Hepatobiliary Surgery, University of Verona Hospital Trust. Among these, CRP measurement was available on POD-3 in 143 patients.

RESULTS

Conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery was necessary in 18 patients (12.6%). The mean POD-3 CRP concentration was significantly higher in patients who did than did not require conversions (205.6 ± 89.6 mg/L versus 104.6 ± 85.8 mg/L, respectively; P < 0.001), even in the absence of postoperative complications, and these patients were therefore excluded from the subsequent analysis. No deaths occurred during the study period, but complications occurred in 39 patients (31.2%). Among these, 24 patients (61.5%) developed surgery-related complications. A POD-3 CRP concentration of 120 mg/L was highly reliable for excluding the occurrence of surgery-related and severe complications. The negative predictive values for excluding surgery-related and severe complications was 86.8% and 97.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Assessment of the POD-3 CRP concentration after colorectal MIS is clinically significant for excluding the occurrence of surgery-related and severe complications. This measurement is a largely available, inexpensive, and easy-to-use tool that allows early and safe discharge in the setting of colorectal MIS and enhanced recovery programs.