Role of Leukocyte Count, Neutrophil Percentage, and C-Reactive Protein in the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis in the Elderly

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 344-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Horng-Ren Yang ◽  
Yu-Chun Wang ◽  
Ping-Kuei Chung ◽  
Wei-Kung Chen ◽  
Long-Bin Jeng ◽  
...  

Leukocyte count, neutrophil percentage, and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been shown to give valuable information in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. However, whether these laboratory tests have the same clinical applicability in the elderly as in young patients remains unclear. This retrospective study aimed to clarify the role of these tests in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in patients aged 60 years or over. Eighty-five consecutive elderly patients underwent appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis during a 30-month period. Histologically verified appendicitis was found in 77 of the 85 patients (90.6%). There was no significant difference in leukocyte counts or CRP values between patients with acute appendicitis and those with a normal appendix. The sensitivities of leukocyte count, neutrophil percentage, and CRP in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis were 71.4 per cent, 88.3 per cent, and 90 per cent, respectively, while the specificities were 37.5 per cent, 25 per cent, and 37.5 per cent, respectively. Of 77 patients with acute appendicitis, only two had all three tests simultaneously normal. In conclusion, patients with normal results in all three tests are highly unlikely to have acute appendicitis and should be evaluated with extra caution before surgery.

Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 829
Author(s):  
Yana Kogan ◽  
Edmond Sabo ◽  
Majed Odeh

Objectives: The role of serum C-reactive protein (CRPs) and pleural fluid CRP (CRPpf) in discriminating uncomplicated parapneumonic effusion (UCPPE) from complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE) is yet to be validated since most of the previous studies were on small cohorts and with variable results. The role of CRPs and CRPpf gradient (CRPg) and of their ratio (CRPr) in this discrimination has not been previously reported. The study aims to assess the diagnostic efficacy of CRPs, CRPpf, CRPr, and CRPg in discriminating UCPPE from CPPE in a relatively large cohort. Methods: The study population included 146 patients with PPE, 86 with UCPPE and 60 with CPPE. Levels of CRPs and CRPpf were measured, and the CRPg and CRPr were calculated. The values are presented as mean ± SD. Results: Mean levels of CRPs, CRPpf, CRPg, and CRPr of the UCPPE group were 145.3 ± 67.6 mg/L, 58.5 ± 38.5 mg/L, 86.8 ± 37.3 mg/L, and 0.39 ± 0.11, respectively, and for the CPPE group were 302.2 ± 75.6 mg/L, 112 ± 65 mg/L, 188.3 ± 62.3 mg/L, and 0.36 ± 0.19, respectively. Levels of CRPs, CRPpf, and CRPg were significantly higher in the CPPE than in the UCPPE group (p < 0.0001). No significant difference was found between the two groups for levels of CRPr (p = 0.26). The best cut-off value calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for discriminating UCPPE from CPPE was for CRPs, 211.5 mg/L with area under the curve (AUC) = 94% and p < 0.0001, for CRPpf, 90.5 mg/L with AUC = 76.3% and p < 0.0001, and for CRPg, 142 mg/L with AUC = 91% and p < 0.0001. Conclusions: CRPs, CRPpf, and CRPg are strong markers for discrimination between UCPPE and CPPE, while CRPr has no role in this discrimination.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (28) ◽  
pp. 2526-2531
Author(s):  
Rabindra Bhunia ◽  
Bindu T. Nair ◽  
Vandana Negi

BACKGROUND Bacteraemia is a common cause of children presenting to the paediatric emergency with acute febrile illness. Blood cultures remain the gold standard for detection of bacteraemia but the positivity is low and also takes time to show positive results. A rapid and reliable biomarker like procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), total leucocyte count (TLC), and neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR) can be used to identify febrile children with greater risk for bacteraemia or serious bacterial infections. This would be very helpful to start early treatment of bacteraemia with antibiotics. METHODS The study was an observational cohort study conducted in the Department of Paediatrics of a tertiary care hospital in North India in children between age group 6 months to 12 years presenting with fever of > 100.4° F for 2 - 7 days. Blood samples were sent for PCT, CRP, TLC, NLCR and blood cultures. RESULTS The most sensitive biomarker was total leukocyte count (47.36 %) followed by the neutrophil percentage (26.32 %), C-reactive protein (21.05 %), and procalcitonin (15.79 %). The most specific biomarker was procalcitonin (75.14 %) followed by C-reactive protein (58.56 %), neutrophil percentage (22.65 %) and total leukocyte count (11.05 %). The only biomarker that was statistically significant between the bacteraemia and non-bacteraemia group in the present study was total leukocyte count (P – value < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The sensitivity and specificity of each single biomarker is low and hence these cannot be used singly to predict bacteraemia. There should be a combination of biomarkers with adequate sensitivity and specificity that can be used to create an algorithm to aid in diagnosis and prognostication. KEYWORDS Procalcitonin, C-Reactive Protein, Blood Culture, Acute Febrile Patient


Cureus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shetty Sushruth ◽  
Chellappa Vijayakumar ◽  
Krishnamachari Srinivasan ◽  
Nagarajan Raj Kumar ◽  
Gopal Balasubramaniyan ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-58
Author(s):  
Garima Biyani ◽  
Swapan Kumar Ray ◽  
Kripasindhu Chatterjee ◽  
Sukanta Sen ◽  
Pradyut Kumar Mandal ◽  
...  

Background: Febrile convulsion (FC) is the most common seizure disorder in childhood. White blood cell (WBC) and C reactive protein (CRP) are commonly measured in FC. Add a paragraph on Aims and Objectives of the study.Aims and Objectives: To compare WBC and CRP in febrile children, aged 6 months to five years, with and without FC, in order to determine whether leukocytosis and elevated CRP can be used as diagnostic tool for febrile seizure.Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study 214 children (112 with FC), aged 6 months to 5 years, admitted to in the first 48 hours of their febrile disease, either with or without seizure, were evaluated over a 12 months period. Age, sex, temperature; WBC, CRP and hemoglobin were recorded in all children. There was a significant increase of WBC (P<0.001) in children with FC so we can deduct that leukocytosis encountered in children with FC can be due to convulsion in itself.Results: When comparing FC and non-FC children, we encountered a significant increase of WBC (P =0.0005) in children with FC, measured at the time of admission to pediatric medicine ward. There was no significant difference regarding CRP between the two groups. In fact, elevated CRP is a result of underlying pathology.Conclusion: In stable patients, if there’s no reason to suspect a bacterial infection or who don’t have any indication of lumbar puncture, there’s no need to assess WBC as an indicator of underlying infection. Any child with febrile seizure with a high CRP value should be evaluated for infection.Asian Journal of Medical Sciences Vol.8(2) 2017 56-58


2020 ◽  

Objective: In this study, we aimed to explore the role of the plasma presepsin level in patients with community-acquired pneumonia during admission to the emergency department in assessing the diagnosis, severity, and prognosis of the disease. In addition, we wanted to investigate the relationship of presepsinin with procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and pneumonia severity scores. Methods: One hundred twenty-three patients over the age of 18 who presented with a diagnosis of pneumonia to the emergency department were included in the study. The vital signs, symptoms, examination findings, background information, laboratory results, and radiological imaging results of the patients were recorded. The 30-day mortality rates of the patients were determined. Results: A statistically significant difference was found between the presepsin levels of the patients diagnosed with pneumonia and those of healthy subjects (p < 0.05). The plasma presepsin levels of the patients who died (8.63 ± 6.46) were significantly higher than those of the patients who lived (5.82 ± 5.97) (p < 0.05). The plasma procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels of the dead patients were significantly higher than those living (p < 0.05). A presepsin cut-off value of 3.3 ng/mL for 30-day mortality was established (AUROC, 0.65; specificity, 45%; sensitivity, 82%). Procalcitonin is the most successful biomarker in the determination of mortality (AUROC, 0.70). A significant correlation was available between presepsin and lactate, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between the Pneumonia Severity Index values and presepsin levels (p < 0.001, r = 0.311). Conclusion: The plasma presepsin level can be utilized for diagnosing community-acquired pneumonia. Plasma presepsin, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels can be used to predict the severity and mortality of community-acquired pneumonia.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-214
Author(s):  
Mirza Tassawar Hussain ◽  
Muhammad Kashif Khan ◽  
Syed Shamsuddin ◽  
Aabid Ali ◽  
Erum Khan ◽  
...  

Background: Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency and diagnostic dilemma. Making the correct diagnosis is often difficult as the clinical presentation varies according to the age of the patient and the position of appendix. The objective of this study was to identify clinical applicability of C- reactive protein, as a diagnostic test for appendicitis. Methods: This prospective study was carried out in Federal government Polyclinic hospital, Islamabad from January to July 2019, 114 patients underwent appendectomy for clinically diagnosed acute appendicitis. The decision to operate the patient was given by senior registrar. The blood samples for C-reactive protein were drawn before taking the patient to the operating theatre. Removed appendices were sent for histopathological confirmation of diagnosis. The C-reactive protein was then compared with the results of histopathology to determine its validity. The data was entered and analysed in SPSS 23. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of C-reactive protein in patients with clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis were found to be 94%, 78%, 93% and 74 % respectively. Conclusion: CRP is helpful in making diagnosis of acute appendicitis. It is highly sensitive but has a relatively low specificity.  


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