Skip to main content
Erschienen in: European Journal of Pediatrics 9/2018

27.01.2018 | Short Communication

Use of procalcitonin in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in infants and preschool children

verfasst von: Eneritz Velasco-Arnaiz, Esther Pérez, Desirée Henares, Anna Fernández-López, Anna Valls, Pedro Brotons, Clàudia Fortuny, Antoni Noguera-Julian

Erschienen in: European Journal of Pediatrics | Ausgabe 9/2018

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Abstract

Normal procalcitonin (PCT) levels have been reported in adult pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) but have not been previously investigated in children. We aimed to assess PCT levels at diagnosis of TB in young children in a low-burden setting. In a cross-sectional observational study in a referral pediatric center in Barcelona (Spain), we assessed the value of PCT and other inflammatory markers (leucocyte counts, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) in the diagnosis of TB in pre-school children (< 6 years at diagnosis, n = 45), as compared with two control groups (pneumococcal pneumonia, n = 25; and healthy controls, n = 49). Normal PCT levels were observed at diagnosis of TB in most cases, while C-reactive protein values and leucocyte counts were slightly elevated when compared to healthy controls. All three inflammatory biomarkers were significantly higher in children with pneumococcal pneumonia.
Conclusions: In our study, PCT was not a useful diagnostic test for TB in young children. In a low-burden TB setting, PCT may be of some value in distinguishing pulmonary TB from pneumococcal pneumonia.
What is Known:
Diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis on clinical evidence is difficult, particularly in infants and small children.
Studies in adults with tuberculosis have mostly reported normal procalcitonin levels at diagnosis.
What is New:
In pre-scholars with tuberculosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and white blood cell counts were higher than in healthy controls, but procalcitonin was not.
Procalcitonin may be useful in the differential diagnosis of intrathoracic tuberculosis and pneumococcal pneumonia.
Anhänge
Nur mit Berechtigung zugänglich
Literatur
3.
Zurück zum Zitat Galetto-Lacour A, Alcoba G, Posfay-Barbe KM, Cevey-Macherel M, Gehri M, Ochs MM, Brookes RH, Siegrist CA, Gervaix A (2013) Elevated inflammatory markers combined with positive pneumococcal urinary antigen are a good predictor of pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 32(11):1175–1179. https://doi.org/10.1097/INF.0b013e31829ba62a CrossRefPubMed Galetto-Lacour A, Alcoba G, Posfay-Barbe KM, Cevey-Macherel M, Gehri M, Ochs MM, Brookes RH, Siegrist CA, Gervaix A (2013) Elevated inflammatory markers combined with positive pneumococcal urinary antigen are a good predictor of pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 32(11):1175–1179. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1097/​INF.​0b013e31829ba62a​ CrossRefPubMed
5.
Zurück zum Zitat Graham SM, Ahmed T, Amanullah F, Browning R, Cardenas V, Casenghi M, Cuevas LE, Gale M, Gie RP, Grzemska M, Handelsman E, Hatherill M, Hesseling AC, Jean-Philippe P, Kampmann B, Kabra SK, Lienhardt C, Lighter-Fisher J, Madhi S, Makhene M, Marais BJ, McNeeley DF, Menzies H, Mitchell C, Modi S, Mofenson L, Musoke P, Nachman S, Powell C, Rigaud M, Rouzier V, Starke JR, Swaminathan S, Wingfield C (2012) Evaluation of tuberculosis diagnostics in children: 1. Proposed clinical case definitions for classification of intrathoracic tuberculosis disease Consensus from an expert panel. J Infect Dis 205(Suppl.2):S199–2208CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral Graham SM, Ahmed T, Amanullah F, Browning R, Cardenas V, Casenghi M, Cuevas LE, Gale M, Gie RP, Grzemska M, Handelsman E, Hatherill M, Hesseling AC, Jean-Philippe P, Kampmann B, Kabra SK, Lienhardt C, Lighter-Fisher J, Madhi S, Makhene M, Marais BJ, McNeeley DF, Menzies H, Mitchell C, Modi S, Mofenson L, Musoke P, Nachman S, Powell C, Rigaud M, Rouzier V, Starke JR, Swaminathan S, Wingfield C (2012) Evaluation of tuberculosis diagnostics in children: 1. Proposed clinical case definitions for classification of intrathoracic tuberculosis disease Consensus from an expert panel. J Infect Dis 205(Suppl.2):S199–2208CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
7.
Zurück zum Zitat Huang CT, Lee LN, Ho CC, Shu CC, Ruan SY, Tsai YJ, Wang JY, Yu CJ (2014) High serum levels of procalcitonin and soluble TREM-1 correlated with poor prognosis in pulmonary tuberculosis. J Inf Secur 68:440–447 Huang CT, Lee LN, Ho CC, Shu CC, Ruan SY, Tsai YJ, Wang JY, Yu CJ (2014) High serum levels of procalcitonin and soluble TREM-1 correlated with poor prognosis in pulmonary tuberculosis. J Inf Secur 68:440–447
8.
Zurück zum Zitat Nyamande K, Lalloo UG (2006) Serum procalcitonin distinguishes CAP due to bacteria, mycobacterium tuberculosis and PJP. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 10(5):510–515PubMed Nyamande K, Lalloo UG (2006) Serum procalcitonin distinguishes CAP due to bacteria, mycobacterium tuberculosis and PJP. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 10(5):510–515PubMed
11.
Zurück zum Zitat Ugajin M, Miwa S, Shirai M, Ohba H, Eifuku T, Nakamura H, Suda T, Hayakawa H, Chida K (2011) Usefulness of serum procalcitonin levels in pulmonary tuberculosis. Eur Respir J 37:371–375CrossRefPubMed Ugajin M, Miwa S, Shirai M, Ohba H, Eifuku T, Nakamura H, Suda T, Hayakawa H, Chida K (2011) Usefulness of serum procalcitonin levels in pulmonary tuberculosis. Eur Respir J 37:371–375CrossRefPubMed
Metadaten
Titel
Use of procalcitonin in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in infants and preschool children
verfasst von
Eneritz Velasco-Arnaiz
Esther Pérez
Desirée Henares
Anna Fernández-López
Anna Valls
Pedro Brotons
Clàudia Fortuny
Antoni Noguera-Julian
Publikationsdatum
27.01.2018
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in
European Journal of Pediatrics / Ausgabe 9/2018
Print ISSN: 0340-6199
Elektronische ISSN: 1432-1076
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-018-3099-9

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 9/2018

European Journal of Pediatrics 9/2018 Zur Ausgabe

Update Pädiatrie

Bestellen Sie unseren Fach-Newsletter und bleiben Sie gut informiert.