Age-specific percentile-based reference curve of serum procalcitonin concentrations in Japanese preterm infants

作者：Fukuzumi Noriko; Osawa Kayo; Sato Itsuko; Iwatani Sota; Ishino Ruri; Hayashi Nobuhide; Iijima Kazumoto; Saegusa Jun; Morioka Ichiro

来源：Scientific Reports, 2016, 6(1): 23871.

DOI：10.1038/srep23871

Procalcitonin (PCT) levels are elevated early after birth in newborn infants; however, the physiological features and reference of serum PCT concentrations have not been fully studied in preterm infants. The aims of the current study were to establish an age-specific percentile-based reference curve of serum PCT concentrations in preterm infants and determine the features. The PCT concentration peaked in infants at 1 day old and decreased thereafter. At 1 day old, serum PCT concentrations in preterm infants < 34 weeks' gestational age were higher than those in late preterm infants between 34 and 36 weeks' gestational age or term infants >= 37 weeks' gestational age. Although the 50-percentile value in late preterm and term infants reached the adult normal level (0.1 ng/mL) at 5 days old, it did not in preterm infants. It took 9 weeks for preterm infants to reach it. Serum PCT concentrations at onset in late-onset infected preterm infants were over the 95-percentile value. We showed that the physiological feature in preterm infants was significantly different from that in late preterm infants, even in those < 37 weeks' gestational age. To detect late-onset bacterial infection and sepsis, an age-specific percentile-based reference curve may be useful in preterm infants.

• 出版日期2016-4-1