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The Clinical Significance of Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein, and Procalcitonin in the Early Recognition of Nosocomial Infections in Preterm Infants

Jianhua Fu, Xuewei Cui, Yongyan Shi, Xinyi Zhao, Xindong Xue

Aim: This study assessed the clinical value of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and Procalcitonin (PCT) for early recognition of nosocomial infections in preterm infants.

Methods: 120 neonates were finally analyzed, 89 with sepsis were compared with 31 noninfected controls. IL-6, CRP and PCT were measured at certain stages. Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the best cutoff values of IL-6, CRP, and PCT for diagnosing sepsis.

Results: IL-6 peaked 6 hours after the infection onset and dropped to normal 24–48 hours after the infection was controlled. The best cutoff values of IL-6, CRP, and PCT were >99.6 pg/mL, >9.27 mg/L, and >2.33 ng/mL, respectively. The areas under the ROC curves were 0.888, 0.823, and 0.953, respectively. When PCT was combined with IL-6 or with both IL-6 and CRP, the sensitivity and specificity were >85%.

Conclusion: IL-6, CRP, and PCT are reliable indicators for early diagnosis of nosocomial infections in preterm infants. When PCT was combined with IL-6 or with both IL-6 and CRP, the accuracy of clinical diagnosis could be improved.