RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Rapid quantitative procalcitonin measurement to diagnose nosocomial infections in newborn infants
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition
JO Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP F345
OP F348
DO 10.1136/adc.2008.155754
VO 94
IS 5
A1 A Jacquot
A1 J-M Labaune
A1 T-P Baum
A1 G Putet
A1 J-C Picaud
YR 2009
UL http://fn.bmj.com/content/94/5/F345.abstract
AB Background and objective: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) monitoring may help clinicians to manage nosocomial infections in neonates. This study investigated the diagnostic value of a new, rapid method to measure PCT and sought to determine the best cut-off value.Methods: This monocentric, prospective study included all newborn infants with clinical suspicion of infection in a neonatal intensive care unit. Rapid, automated PCT measurements were performed on blood samples obtained for C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement. Negative and positive predictive values, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Logistic regression analysis determined the best cut-off value to obtain a negative predictive value of PCT that was at least 15% above that of CRP.Results: Between June 2005 and May 2006, 73 newborn infants with a median (Q25–Q75) gestational age of 28 (26–30) weeks and a birth weight of 995 (720–1350) g were included. Thirty (41%) were infected. The best PCT cut-off value was 0.6 ng/ml, which provided a negative predictive value of 100%. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value were 100%, 65%, and 67%, respectively, for PCT at the 0.6 ng/ml cut-off value.Conclusion: Rapid measurement of PCT could help to rule out nosocomial infection in newborn infants hospitalised in intensive care units.