The predicting value of serum procalcitonin in treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the predicting value of serum procaleitonin (PCT) in treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in elderly patients. Methods A total of 267 elderly patients requiring hospitalization for AECOPD were randomly assigned into 2 groups standard therapy group (standard group, n= 135) and PCT-guided group(PCT group, n= 132). Standard group received antibiotics according to the guideline of attending physicians and PCT group were treated with antibiotics according to serum PCT levels.Length of hospitalization, clinical efficacy, costs of hospitalization and antibiotics, rate of antibiotics use, hospital mortality, rate of exacerbation and rehospitalization, frequency of exacerbation within 1 year were observed. Results Length of hospitalization, clinical efficacy, hospital mortality, rate of exacerbation and rehospitalization, frequency of exacerbation within 1 year were similar in 2 groups(all P＞0.05);costs of hospitalization and antibiotics, rate of antibiotics use of PCT group[10 882 (3808-16 651)yuan, 6934 (2390-10 660)yuan, 76.5%] were lower than those of standard group[13 637(4650-19 730)yuan, 8589(3144-12 117)yuan, 87.4%] (all P＜0.05). Conclusions PCT guidance offers an advantage over standard therapy in reducing antibiotic use and in lowering the costs of hospitalization in treatment of AECOPD in elderly patients.