Background: Infections, including pneumonia, become most common etiology of lung diseases in Indonesia. Procalcitonin (PCT) level endocrine response to bacterial infections. Procalcitonin level may distinguish bacterial and viral infections and is also on par with bacterial load, giving it prognostic value.
Objective: To assess the correlation between quantitative procalcitonin (PCT) levels with patients’ responses to therapy of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Methods: This is an analytic-observational prospective study. The study was conducted in Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital, Makassar from September 2014 to January 2015. Procalcitonin level in plasma samples from in-hospital CAP patients was measured quantitatively using immunoluminometric method before and 72 hours after administration of empirical antibiotic. The correlation between PCT level and responses to therapy was analyzed using Wilcoxon signed ranked test.
Results: A total of 30 plasma samples were collected and examined. Initial PCT level in CAP subjects with negative response to therapy was higher than in subjects with positive response (mean 8.86 vs. 3.43; p=0.49). Procalcitonin level at 72 hours post-treatment in subjects with negative response to therapy was higher than in subjects with positive response (mean 9,36 vs 1,52; p=0,01). The difference between the levels of initial PCT and PCT level 72 hours post-treatment was larger in CAP subjects with positive response to therapy compared to subjects with negative response (mean 1,09 vs. -0,51; p=0,004).
Conclusion: There is a correlation between quantitative PCT levels and responses to CAP therapy. Procalcitonin level
72 hours after treatment was higher in subjects with negative response to therapy while the difference of initial and
72 hours post-therapy was higher in subjects with positive response to therapy.
Key words: Procalcitonin, response to therapy, community-acquired pneumonia.