Comparison of Serum Levels of Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein in Patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia and COPD Exacerbation

Pneumonia is an important and commonly occurring disease, with significant morbidity and mortality. Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is associated with a very rapid rise in procalcitonin (PCT), which has been considered a primary marker of bacterial infection. The aim of this study was to compare the serum levels of PCT in patients with CAP and in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This cross-sectional prospective descriptive study was performed in the emergency department (ED) on patients with CAP and acute exacerbation of COPD. A total of 53 patients were included in this study and their serum levels of PCT and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. The patients included 31 males and 22 females with a mean age of 76.52 ± 9.93 years and a mean BMI of 25.98 ± 3.04. The mean PCT level was 0.93 ± 1.56 in patients with CAP and 0.29 ± 0.27 in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD; the PCT level was significantly higher in the patients with CAP (P = 0.049). The mean CRP level was 34.00 ± 12.37 in patients with CAP and 31.66 ± 11.73 in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD; this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.483). We found statistical differences in PCT levels that would differentiate CAP from acute exacerbation of COPD in the ED setting. Further studies are required to verify this finding.