The Role of C-Reactive Protein and White Blood Cell Count as Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Monitoring Markers in Bacterial Orofacial Infections

Abstract

1) To assess the efficacy of C reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC) levels as diagnostic, prognostic, and monitoring tools for determining the severity of bacterial orofacial infections, length of hospital stay (LOS), and the effectiveness of treatment. 2) To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of CRP and WBC as inflammatory markers in bacterial orofacial infections. This prospective study included 30 patients. The predictor variables were serial readings of CRP and WBC that were correlated with clinical course of orofacial infection including severity of infection, length of hospital stay, and effectiveness of treatment. P value was set at (<.05). The sample was composed of 30 patients with a mean age of 26.7 years, 47% female. Predrainage CRP and WBC were significantly positive in predicting severity of infection and length of hospital stay. Predrainage CRP readings were elevated in 93% of patients whereas WBC predrainage readings were elevated in only 56% of patients with orofacial infections. Sensitivity and specificity of CRP are 87.5 and 68%, respectively while sensitivity and specificity of WBC are 62.6 and 86.4%, respectively. The results of this study suggest that CRP and WBC are useful diagnostic, prognostic, and monitoring tools in bacterial orofacial infections, with CRP being more sensitive than WBC.