Procal in immunocompromised patients

Q: Procalcitonin level may not rise in patients with immunocompromised states.

A) True

B) False

Answer: B

Contrary to conventional belief, Procalcitonin production is NOT impaired in immunocompromised states. This includes

• neutropenia
• corticosteroids treatment
• bone marrow transplantation
• solid organ transplantation, and
• HIV infection 

#ID

#lab-medicine

References:

1.von Lilienfeld-Toal M, Dietrich MP, Glasmacher A, et al. Markers of bacteremia in febrile neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies: procalcitonin and IL-6 are more reliable than C-reactive protein. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2004; 23:539.

2. Koya J, Nannya Y, Ichikawa M, Kurokawa M. The clinical role of procalcitonin in hematopoietic SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant 2012; 47:1326.

3. Perren A, Cerutti B, Lepori M, et al. Influence of steroids on procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in patients with COPD and community-acquired pneumonia. Infection 2008; 36:163.

4. Tokman S, Barnett CF, Jarlsberg LG, et al. Procalcitonin predicts mortality in HIV-infected Ugandan adults with lower respiratory tract infections. Respirology 2014; 19:382.