Usefulness of serum procalcitonin and urinary interleukin-8 in pediatric urinary tract infection

ABSTRACT

This work studied 40 infants and children [14 males and 26 females] with manifestation suggestive of urinary track infection [UTI], their ages ranged from 6 months to 8 years, in addition to 40 apparently healthy children of matched age and sex, as a control group. Serum PCT, urinary IL-8, C-reactive protein [CRP] and total leukocytic were measured in all patients and controls. In cases with positive urine culture, renal parenchymal involvement was assessed by 99TcDMSA renal scan in the first five days after admission. From the results obtained, it was concluded that in infants and children with suspected UTI, serum PCT and urinary IL-8 may be used as markers of infection, their levels vary with the severity of infection and were increased significantly when renal parenchymal involvement is present. Taking the appropriate clinical situations into account, their measurement might be a useful and practical tool for differentiating acute pyelonephritis from lower UTI