Correlation between procalcitonin and sputum culture in patients with acute exacerbation of brochiectasis

Abstract

Objective To observe the relationship between procalcitonin and results of sputum culture in patients with acute exacerbations of brochiectasis. Methods Patients diagnosed with acute exacerbations of bronchiectasis were consecutively recruited at Laiwu City People′s Hospital and Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from November, 2013 to November, 2015.Procalcitonin was compared between patients with positive sputum cultures and patients with negative sputum cultures.Procalcitonin was compared between patients with pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and other pathogen infection. Results In total, 120 patients with acute exacerbations of bronchiectasis were enrolled in the study.Sputum specimens were cultured positive in 52 patients (43.3%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common pathogen (59.6%). There were 45 patients whose procalcitonin >0.25 μg/L (37.5%). Procalcitonin was significantly higher in patients with positive sputum cultures than that in patients with negative sputum cultures (P 0.25 μg/L was significantly higher in patients with positive sputum positive cultures than that in patients with negative sputum cultures (P 0.05). Conclusions Procalcitonin is reliable for predicting positive sputum culture in patients with acute exacerbations of brochiectasis.However, procalcitonin is not valuable in distinguishing pseudomonas aeruginosa and other pathogens. Key words: Bronchiectasis; Procalcitonin; Sputum culture; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Exacerbation