A prospective bicenter study investigating the diagnostic value of procalcitonin in patients with acute appendicitis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Procalcitonin (PCT) is an established laboratory marker for disease severity in patients with infection and sepsis. In addition, PCT has been shown to be an effective marker for a limited number of localized infections. However, whether or not PCT has any diagnostic value for acute appendicitis, still remains unclear. The purpose of this prospective bicenter study was, therefore, to determine whether or not the PCT levels in the serum of patients with acute appendicitis have any diagnostic value.

Methods

This prospective study included 103 patients who received an appendectomy, based on the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis, in a surgical department of an academic teaching hospital in Germany or in a county hospital in Spain. White blood cell count (WBC), C

SUBMITTER: Sand M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2790741 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature