The Dynamic Measurement of Procalcitonin in Neonatal Purulent Meningitis

Abstract

Neonatal purulent meningitis is a significant cause of neonatal disability and death. The early diagnosis and effective treatment are critical for neonatal purulent meningitis. Procalcitonin (PCT) is currently used as a clinical diagnosis marker of inflammation and infection, such as sepsis. Due to the lower immunity of neonates and the atypical symptoms of neonatal purulent meningitis, it is challenging to obtain reliable information of the development, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of neonatal purulent meningitis. This study monitored the dynamic change of the PCT levels in 48 neonatal patients after the standard treatment and found out that the PCT level may not be a distinguish diagnosis marker but a useful indicator for efficacy of the treatment and prognosis specifically in neonatal purulent meningitis.