The value of serum procalcitonin in treatment of community acquired pneumonia in outpatient

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) on antibiotic use in treatment of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in outpatient. METHODS: From November 2006 to February 2008, a total of 127 patients with CAP in outpatient were randomly assigned into two groups: PCT group (n = 63) and control group (n = 64). PCT levels of all patients were measured after study admission. On the base of similarly normal treatment, the control group received antibiotics according to the attending physicians and the PCT group were treated with antibiotics according to serum PCT levels: antibiotic treatment was applied with PCT level > or = 0.25 microg/L and was discouraged with PCT level 0.05); rate and costs of antibiotics use was lower, antibiotic duration of the PCT group was shorter than that of the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.001, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: PCT could be used in treatment of CAP for antibiotic use in outpatient, which may reduce antibiotic use, shorten antibiotic duration and lower costs of antibiotic.