ABSTRACT
Objective To determine the role of serum procalcitonin(PCT)and C-reactive protein (CRP)in predicting spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(SBP)in patients with liver cirrhosis combined with ascites. Methods Ninety-eight patients with liver cirrhosis combined with ascites were enrolled, including 48 cases with SBP(SBP group)and 50 cases without SBP(non-SBP group).The levels of serum PCT and CRP were compared between 2 groups.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic SBP value of PCT and CRP levels in patients with liver cirrhosis combined with ascites.Results The serum PCT and CRP levels in SBP group were significantly higher than those in non-SBP group:3.90(6.95)μg/L vs.0.50(0.43)μg/L and 20.80(11.27)mg/L vs.10.87(6.22)mg/L, and there were statistical differences(P<0.01).The ROC cures results showed that the areas under the curve of serum PCT and CRP levels were 0.924(95% CI 0.860-0.987)and 0.852(95% CI 0.777-0.926), and the optimal cut-off of predicting SBP in patients with liver cirrhosis combined with ascites were 0.81 μg/L and 13.89 mg/L. The sensitivity was 91.7% and 85.4%, and the specificity was 80.0%and 70.0% respectively.The mortality in SBP group was significant higher than that in non-SBP group:20.83%(10/48)vs.6.00%(3/50),and there was statistical difference(P<0.05).In SBP group,the serum PCT and CRP levels in death patients were significant higher than those in survival patients: 13.00 (10.90) μg/L vs. 2.50 (5.30) μg/L and 35.40 (31.22) mg/L vs. 18.05(10.15) mg/L, and there were statistical differences(P<0.01 or<0.05).Conclusions The increase of serum PCT and CRP levels can be used as an important diagnostic index for SBP in patients with liver cirrhosis combined with ascites, and has predictive value for prognosis.