Table 3.
Comparison of Select Clinical Parameters Among Low-Procalcitonin Thresholds
| PCT <0.1 µg/L (n = 28) | PCT 0.1–<0.25 µg/L (n = 54) | PCT 0.25–<0.5 µg/L (n = 43) | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 66.5 (15.4) | 53.8 (17.2) | 53.3 (17.2) | .002 |
| ICU disposition, No. (%) | 5 (17.9) | 8 (14.5) | 5 (11.6) | .761 |
| ESR >20 mm/h, No. (%)a,b | 9 (81.8) | 18 (85.7) | 12 (92.3) | .741 |
| CRP >10, No. (%)a,b | 12 (92.3) | 21 (100) | 14 (93.3) | .453 |
| Tmax ≥38°C, No. (%)a | 15 (53.6) | 35 (64.8) | 27 (62.8) | .599 |
| WBC ≥12, No. (%)a | 10 (35.7) | 24 (44.4) | 23 (53.5) | .331 |
| Respiratory rate ≥20, No. (%)a | 20 (71.4) | 44 (81.5) | 34 (79.1) | .572 |
| Mechanically ventilated, No. (%) | 1 (3.6) | 4 (7.4) | 0 | .179 |
| Heart rate ≥90, No. (%)a | 26 (92.9) | 44 (81.5) | 40 (93.0) | .148 |
| Need for vasopressor support, No. (%) | 3 (10.7) | 4 (7.4) | 4 (9.3) | .873 |
| Antibiotic duration, median (IQR), d | 17.5 (11–40.3) | 14 (12–28) | 16 (10–42) | .929 |
| Length of stay, median (IQR), d | 6 (4–7.8) | 6 (4–8.3) | 6 (3–9) | .785 |
Abbreviations: CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; ICU, intensive care unit; IQR, interquartile range; PCT, procalcitonin; WBC, white blood cell count.
aBased on highest recorded value within 24 hours of initial blood culture.
bAmong patients with reported values.