Serum Procalcitonin Level Reflects the Severity of Cellulitis

Abstract

BackgroundCellulitis 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.ObjectiveThis study evaluated the clinical usefulness of procalcitonin for predicting disease severity and prognosis of cellulitis.MethodsWe 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.ResultsProcalcitonin, 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).ConclusionIn patients diagnosed with cellulitis, proclacitonin was a helpful parameter to indicate the severity of disease and also a useful predictor of prognosis.

Procalcitonin and cellulitis: correlation of procalcitonin blood levels with measurements of severity and outcome in patients with limb cellulitis

“…This was done to retain compatibility with the trial. The levels of procalcitonin correlated well with other measures of severity; the amount of affected skin and C-reactive protein and this has been previously reported (Noh et al 2016). We found the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio to be strongly correlated with procalcitonin and better correlated than neutrophil or lymphocyte counts individually.…”

“…There is very limited data on the relationship between procalcitonin and later outcomes. Noh et al (2016) looked at days of hospitalization and showed a significant correlation with procalcitonin and length of hospitalization, but this was also true of C-reactive protein and total white cell count. Given that procalcitonin levels appear proportional to bacterial load one might expect elevated levels in invasive infections and therefore helpful in distinguishing cellulitis from necrotizing fasciitis.…”

Time Course of C-Reactive Protein and Procalcitonin Levels During the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Skin Infections

“…There has been limited research regarding biomarkers in skin infections to date. In several prior studies, only single CRP or PCT levels were obtained at the time patients presented with a suspected skin infection; therefore, only the diagnostic or prognostic utility of these biomarkers could be evaluated [ 8–11 ]. To our knowledge, there has only been 1 study besides ours evaluating the potential utility of serial CRP and PCT levels in the management of skin infections.…”

Pathogenese, Klinik und Therapie des Erysipels

“…Zudem ist die Blutsenkungsgeschwindigkeit (BSG) in der Regel als unspezifisches Entzündungsreichen erhöht [16,18]. Abseits der bekannten und bewährten Entzündungsmarker wurden in der medizinischen Literatur weitere Studien zu neueren Biomarkern, wie etwa dem "delta neutrophil index" (DNI; Anteil unreifer Granulozyten), dem Thrombozytenvolumen sowie Serum-YKL-40 und Serum-Procalcitonin, publiziert [20][21][22].…”