Table 3.
Comparison of patients with or without bacterial/parasitic infection (univariate analysis) and identification of variables predictive of bacterial/parasitic infection after stepwise logistic regression analysis (multivariate analysis)
| Variable | Univariate analysis | Multivariate analysis | |||
| Nonbacterial/parasitic (n = 76) | Bacterial/parasitic (n = 167) | P | Odds ratio [95% CI] | P | |
| Sex (male) | 40 (47%) | 94 (44%) | NS | ||
| Age (year) | 54 ± 25 | 57 ± 19 | NS | ||
| Temperature (°C) | 39.1 ± 0.6 | 39.2 ± 0.6 | NS | ||
| Heart rate (beats/min) | 101 ± 21 | 107 ± 20 | 0.03 | ||
| Systolic arterial blood pressure (mmHg) | 131 ± 23 | 127 ± 22 | NS | ||
| Immunodepression | 20 (26%) | 51 (30%) | NS | ||
| Headache | 27 (35%) | 37 (22%) | 0.04 | ||
| Myalgia | 23 (30%) | 30 (18%) | 0.04 | ||
| Emergency physician diagnosis | 70 (29%) | 173 (71%) | < 0.001 | 7.54 [3.60–15.82] | < 0.001 |
| Haemoglobin level (mg/l) | 128 ± 19 | 125 ± 23 | NS | ||
| White blood cell count (/mm3) | 8060 ± 3777 | 11688 ± 8039 | < 0.001 | ||
| Neutrophil leukocytes ≥ 7,500/mm3 | 21 (28%) | 88 (54%) | < 0.001 | 3.17 [1.52–6.62] | 0.002 |
| Platelet count (103/mm3) | 198 ± 90 | 204 ± 99 | NS | ||
| Creatinine (μmol/l) | 97 ± 39 | 118 ± 97 | NS | ||
| PCT (μg/l) | 0.7 ± 2.2 | 11.1 ± 39.0 | < 0.001 | ||
| PCT ≥ 0.2 μg/l | 31 (41%) | 128 (77%) | < 0.001 | 4.54 [2.19–9.39] | < 0.001 |
| CRP (mg/l) | 39 ± 48 | 150 ± 128 | < 0.001 | ||
| CRP ≥ 40 mg/l | 28 (38%) | 122 (76%) | < 0.001 | 3.67 [1.79–7.53] | < 0.001 |
Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation or number (%). For multivariate analysis all other P values were NS. CI, confidence interval; CRP, C-reactive protein; NS, not significant; PCT, procalcitonin.