Validity of c-reactive protein and procalcitonin in the prediction of bacterial infection in patients with liver cirrhosis

Abstract

Introduction: Cirrhosis is the end-stage of most liver diseases. Patients with cirrhosis are at high risk of developing bacterial infections, sepsis and sepsis-related death(1). Aim of the study: Our aim is to evaluate the role of CRP and procalcitonin as a diagnostic tool for detection bacterial infection in a hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Patients & Methods: This study was conducted in Tropical medicine department -Minia University Hospitals, from May to October 2018. 90 patients were included in the analysis. Forty two patients presented clinically with infection (Group 1), while 48 patients clinically non infectious (Group 2). Results: Ninty consecutive hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis of different etiologies were included in the study. Forty two patients (61.9% male, age 61.8±11.2 years) had documented bacterial infection at admission or during the first 3 days of admission (Group 1) and 48(66.7% male, age 58.9±8.2 years) were hospitalized for other reasons (Group 2). Conclusion: CRP and procalcitonin are good inflammatory markers; CRPis more sensitive than procalcitonin in detection bacterial infection but both are specific in detection bacterial infection in patients with advanced chronic liver disease.