J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2011 Jan;49(1):43-48. 10.3340/jkns.2011.49.1.43.

Comparison of Serum CRP and Procalcitonin in Patients after Spine Surgery

• Chung YG
• Won YS
• Kwon YJ
• Shin HC
• Choi CS
• Yeom JS

• KMID: 1442692
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2011.49.1.43

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Classical markers of infection cannot differentiate reliably between inflammation and infection after neurosurgery. This study investigated the dynamics of serum procalcitonin (PCT) in patients who had elective spine surgeries without complications.
METHODS
Participants were 103 patients (47 women, 56 men) who underwent elective spinal surgery. Clinical variables relevant to the study included age, sex, medical history, body mass index (BMI), site and type of surgery, and surgery duration. Clinical and laboratory data were body temperature, white blood cell count (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and PCT, all measured preoperatively and postoperatively on days 1, 3, and 5.
RESULTS
PCT concentrations remained at <0.25 ng/mL during the postoperative course except in 2 patients. PCT concentrations did not correlate with age, sex, DM, hypertension, BMI, operation time, operation site, or use of instrumentation. In contrast, CRP concentrations were significantly higher with older age, male, DM, hypertension, longer operation time, cervical operation, and use of instrumentation.
CONCLUSION
PCT may be useful in the diagnosing neurosurgical patients with postoperative fever of unknown origin.

Keyword

White Blood Cell; Erythrocyte sediment rate; C-reactive protein; Procalcitonin

MeSH Terms

Blood Sedimentation
Body Mass Index
Body Temperature
C-Reactive Protein
Calcitonin
Female
Fever of Unknown Origin
Humans
Hypertension
Inflammation
Leukocyte Count
Leukocytes
Male
Neurosurgery
Protein Precursors
Spine
C-Reactive Protein
Calcitonin
Protein Precursors