The correlation of concentration of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin with white blood cells count in acute infection and sepsis

Abstract

Introduction: Infection is a specific response to an active or passive pathogen penetration and/or its reproduction in the biological system. Unlike the infection, sepsis is characterized by a systemic inflammation response of the host. The most commonly used biomarkers for the diagnosis of infections and sepsis are C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the correlation of CRP and PCT with white blood cells (WBC) count in patients with acute infection and sepsis. Material and methods: This retrospective study included 69 patients who underwent a blood test at the Central Laboratory of the University Clinical Center of Kragujevac to determine the presence of infection/sepsis during hospitalization. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with local bacterial infections of different localization and patients with sepsis. In the group of patients with local infection, four subgroups were distinguished: patients with respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary infections, and skin infections. The control group comprised 40 healthy subjects. The study analyzed data about WBC count, neutrophil and lymphocytes count as well as the concentration of CRP and PCT. Results: The analysis of mentioned parameters indicated that patients with infection/sepsis had significantly higher values of WBC (p<0.001), neutrophils (p<0.001), lymphocytes (p=0.007), CRP (p<0.001) and PCT (p<0.001) concerning control subjects. There was a statistically significant difference in PCT between the examined groups of patients (p=0.029), so the highest values have been recorded in septic patients. In patients with sepsis, there was a significant positive correlation between the concentration of CRP and WBC counts (r=0.538, p=0.008). Conclusion: There is a significant increase in the concentration of CRP and PCTin patients with local infections and sepsis. The concentration of CRP is positively correlated with WBC counts in patients with sepsis.