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Gaceta Médica Boliviana

Print version ISSN 1012-2966On-line version ISSN 2227-3662

Abstract

MARTINEZ LEON, Alejandro Fabio; ARDUZ EGUINO, Edgar  and  CALDERON LOPEZ, María Elena. Sensitivity and specificity of procalcitonin and gram stain of buffy coat for early diagnosis of sepsis in pediatric patients. Gac Med Bol [online]. 2011, vol.34, n.1, pp.20-24. ISSN 1012-2966.

Objectives: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of procalcitonin and Buffy coat Gram stain in the early diagnosis of sepsis. Methods: Cross sectional study in which 41 patients were studied under 5 years admitted with a presumptive diagnosis of sepsis at Hospital Manuel Ascencio Niñ@ Villarroel from October 2008 to February 2009. We measured procalcitonin, CRP, blood count and blood culture were gram stain and Buffy coat. We calculate the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of markers studied.The criterion reference compliance with the operational definition of sepsis. Results: The procalcitonin showed a sensitivity of 96.77% and a specificity of 40%. C-reactive protein had a sensitivity of 51.61%. The Buffy coat Gram stain was observed in both gram-positive cocci intra-and extracellular, had a sensitivity of 100% and 0% specificity, while considering only its specific intracellular bacteria increased to 80% and the sensitivity decreases 35%, having a better positive predictive value of 84.62%. Conclusions: Procalcitonin is a marker of greater specificity than CRP in the detection of early sepsis. Gram staining of Buffy coat requires further study for validation.

Keywords : sepsis; procalcitonin; C-Reactive protein; sensitivity and specificity; blood Buffy Coat.

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