Early Diagnosis of Intracranial Infection After Craniotomy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Intracranial infection are serious complications postoperatively in neurosurgical patients. Early identification of these complications is essential to minimize the mortality and moribidy. The aim of this study is observe the postoperative dynamic changes of body temperature (BT), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) count, and evaluate whether the use of two or more of these markers may improve the diagnostic accuracy of intracranial infection.

Detailed Description
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Intracranial infection is a serious complications after neurosurgical operation. Early identification of intracranial infection is important so that, first, optimal treatment is initiated which may improves outcome, second, inappropriate antibiotic treatment and subsequent resistance are prevented, and third, it will promote shorter hospitalization and less cost. In several previous studies, the values of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in predicting intracranial infection have been evaluated in neurosurgical patients. However, due to the limited number of studies, the results are not convincing enough and more investigations seems warranted to clarify their dynamic changes in neurosurgical patients without intracranial infection and their role in confirming the suspicion of intracranial infection or excluding intracranial infection from the differential diagnosis. The aim of the investigator's study is to observe the postoperative dynamic changes of BT, PCT, CRP, and white blood cell (WBC) count, and evaluate whether the use of two or more of these markers may improve the diagnostic accuracy for rational decisions about antibiotic treatment.

Official Title
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Role of Postoperative Fever, Serum Procalcitonin, C-reactive Protein and White Blood Cell Count in the Diagnosis of Intracranial Infection After Craniotomy

Conditions
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Intracranial; Infection, Psychosis, Acute or Subacute

Intervention / Treatment
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* Diagnostic Test: postoperative fever, serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and white blood cell coun


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: craniotomy of brain tumor; no clinical manifestations of infection before operation; no other infection such as respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection and deep vein catheter infection before the definite diagnosis of intracranial infection ; the patients had informed consent to enter the study. Exclusion Criteria: blood system diseases,respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection and deep vein catheter infection; malignant tumors with neuroendocrine characteristicsr; aspiration, pancreatitis, etc.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 68 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| infected group<br>Intracranial infection were diagnosed according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) definitions | Diagnostic Test: postoperative fever, serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and white blood cell coun<br>* All patients in Intracranial Infection group were cured with antibiotic treatment<br>|
| non-infected group<br>the postoperative recovery was uneventful with no infection | Diagnostic Test: postoperative fever, serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and white blood cell coun<br>* All patients in Intracranial Infection group were cured with antibiotic treatment<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| the diagnosis of intracranial infection after craniotomy | Intracranial infection are serious complications postoperatively in neurosurgical patients. Early identification of these complications is essential to minimize the mortality and moribidy. The aim of this study is observe the postoperative dynamic changes of body temperature (BT), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) count, and evaluate whether the use of two or more of these markers may improve the diagnostic accuracy of intracranial infection | up to 100 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, intracranial infection