ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the changes in the levels of C-reactive protein [CRP] and procalcitonin [PCT] in serum of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [AECOPD] and to compare with the values of CRP in combination with PCT in the diagnosis and treatment of infective exacerbation of COPD
Methods: One hundred and sixty-four patients who developed acute exacerbation of COPD and admitted to the Binzhou People's Hospital from March 2014 to December 2015 were selected. They were divided into an infection group [N=98] and a non-infection group [N=66] according to bacterial culture results of sputum and lung computer tomography [CT] examination results. Moreover, 50 healthy people were selected as a normal control group. The levels of PCT and CRP of the three groups were determined respectively; patients in the infection group and non-infection group were determined again after administration of antibacterial drugs for a period of time. The results were all recorded
Results: The levels of PCT and CRP of the infection group were significantly higher than those of the non-infection group and the normal control group before treatment, and the difference had statistical significance [P<0.05]. The levels of PCT and CRP were [1.97 +/- 0.13] micro g/L and [7.34 +/- 2.66] mg/L respectively in the infection group after treatment, which was much lower than the levels before treatment [P<0.05]. The level of PCT of the infection group was remarkably higher than that of the non-infection group after treatment [P<0.05], but the difference of CRP level between the infection group and non-infection group had no statistical significance [P>0.05]. The specificity and sensitivity of diagnosing COPD in combination with bacterial infection with PCT or CRP were lower than those of PCT in combination with CRP
Conclusion: Levels of CRP in combination with PCT is a reliable index for determining the existence of bacterial infection, which is of great clinical guidance significance to the treatment and prognosis assessment of AECOPD patients