Clinical values of the early detection of serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and white blood cells for neonates with infectious diseases

OBJECTIVE: To discuss application values of serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cells (WBC) count in early diagnosis and treatment of neonatal bacterial infectious diseases. METHODS: Clinical data of one hundred and thirty-six newborns with infectious diseases who were admitted into the hospital were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into bacterial infection group (N=70) and non-bacterial infection group (N=66). Additionally, sixty-six healthy newborns who underwent physical examination in our hospital in the same period were selected as controls. Subjects in the three groups were all detected for serum PCT, CRP and WBC levels. RESULTS: The levels of PCT, CRP and WBC in the bacterial infection group were much higher than those of the non-bacterial infection group and the healthy control group, and the differences had statistical significance (P<0.05). The positive rates of PCT, CRP and WBC of the bacterial infection group were higher than those of the non-bacterial infection group (P<0.05); the specificity and sensitivity of the PCT level were obviously higher than those of the CRP and WBC levels in diagnosing bacterial infectious diseases (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum PCR, CRP and WBC levels are of high diagnostic values to neonatal infectious diseases. Compared to WBC and CRP, PCT is more sensitive index in the diagnosis of neonatal infectious diseases.