Indicators of a new semi-quantitative rapid test for procalcitonin in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in the presence and absence of arterial hypertension
Authors:   Research Institute of Therapy and Preventive Medicine — Branch of the Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Bayramova S.S. ,   Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, Tsygankova O.V. ,   Research Institute of Therapy and Preventive Medicine — Branch of the Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation,   Novosibirsk State Medical University; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, Nikolayev K.Yu. ,   Research Institute of Therapy and Preventive Medicine — Branch of the Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation,   Novosibirsk State University; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, Starichkov A.A. ,   Novosibirsk State Medical University; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, Timoshchenko O.V. ,   Research Institute of Therapy and Preventive Medicine — Branch of the Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, Nasirovasha Sh.T. ,   Novosibirsk State University; Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
Published: April 2024

The presence of cardiovascular diseases can be an independent risk factor for an unfavorable prognosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and cause its erased course, which significantly complicates the timely diagnosis. It has been reported that assessment of plasma procalcitonin (PCT) levels may be useful in the differential diagnosis of lung diseases. Aim. To study the levels of a new semi-quantitative rapid PCT test (PCT RT) of plasma in therapeutic patients with CAP depending on the presence or absence of arterial hypertension (AH). Design. The simultaneous comparative study. Materials and methods. The study included 123 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of CAP: 41 patients (mean age 69.8 ± 11.9 years) with hypertension and 82 patients (mean age 39.3 ± 16.7 years) without hypertension, who made up the comparison group. Using a new semi-quantitative RT and the method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the plasma PCT level was determined before the start of antibiotic therapy. Results. In patients with CAP and hypertension, positive PCT RT results were registered 1.8 times more often than in the comparison group — 19 (46.3%) people and 21 (25.6 %) people, respectively (p = 0.018), borderline values of PCT RT — 2.2 times more often: in 13 (31.7%) people and 12 (14.6%) people (p = 0.001) patients, respectively. The comparison group was characterized by negative PCT RT values, which were recorded in 61 (74.4%) of cases (p = 0.001). Quantitative PCT scores did not have statistically significant differences in the groups studied. In the group of patients with CAP and hypertension, positive correlations of PCT RT with body temperature (r = 0.329; p = 0.038), quantitative PCT (r = 0.505; p = 0.001), plasma glucose levels (r = 0.325; p = 0.041) and potassium (0.325; p = 0.041) were established. Conclusion. Patients with CAP and hypertension in comparison with those without hypertension are characterized by positive values of the new PCT RT, which have positive correlations with body temperature, quantitative PCT values, and plasma glucose and potassium levels. Keywords: community-acquired pneumonia, arterial hypertension, diagnostics, procalcitonin, procalcitonin rapid test.