Procalcitonin (PCT), a widely used biomarker for bacterial infections, is sometimes measured in convulsion patients to distinguish bacterial infections including bacterial meningitis. However, serum PCT elevation is reported in several other conditions. This study assessed the diagnostic value of serum PCT concentrations in convulsion patients. This study examined a convulsion group: patients admitted to our critical care center during April 2018 through September 2019 via the emergency department presenting with convulsions. Randomly sampled patients admitted without convulsions were categorized as a non-convulsion group. Serum PCT analysis was performed with consideration of whether or not the patient had an infection. Diagnostic values of serum PCT for bacterial infection were evaluated for convulsion and non-convulsion patients using the positive likelihood ratio of PCT. This study found 84 patients as eligible for the convulsion group; 1:2 matched 168 control patients were selected as non-convulsion group members. The positive likelihood ratio for bacterial infection was found to be significantly lower in the convulsion group than in the control group (1.94 vs. 2.65) when setting the positive cut-off for PCT as 0.5 ng/mL. Convulsion patients had a higher PCT value. The positive likelihood ratio for patients without bacterial infection was lower.

中文翻译：

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血清降钙素原对急诊惊厥患者的诊断价值

降钙素（PCT）是一种广泛使用的细菌感染生物标志物，有时在惊厥患者中进行测量，以区分包括细菌性脑膜炎在内的细菌感染。但是，据报道在其他几种情况下血清PCT升高。这项研究评估了抽搐患者血清PCT浓度的诊断价值。这项研究检查了惊厥组：2018年4月至2019年9月期间通过急诊科进入急诊室就诊的患者。随机抽取无惊厥入院的患者归类为非惊厥组。考虑患者是否感染，进行了血清PCT分析。使用PCT的阳性似然比评估抽搐和非抽搐患者血清PCT对细菌感染的诊断价值。本研究发现84例符合抽搐组的患者。以1：2匹配的168例对照患者被选为非惊厥组成员。当将PCT的阳性临界值设为0.5 ng / mL时，惊厥组细菌感染的阳性可能性比明显低于对照组（1.94比2.65）。惊厥患者的PCT值较高。没有细菌感染的患者的阳性似然比较低。当将PCT的阳性临界值设为0.5 ng / mL时，惊厥组细菌感染的阳性可能性比明显低于对照组（1.94比2.65）。惊厥患者的PCT值较高。没有细菌感染的患者的阳性似然比较低。当将PCT的阳性临界值设为0.5 ng / mL时，惊厥组细菌感染的阳性可能性比明显低于对照组（1.94比2.65）。惊厥患者的PCT值较高。没有细菌感染的患者的阳性似然比较低。