Procalcitonin as the biomarker of inflammation in diagnostics of pediatric appendicitis and for prevention of unnecessary appendectomy

Levan Chakhunashvili*, Joseb Samkharadze**, Ivane Chkhaidze***

*M. Guramishvili Pediatric Clinic, Tbilisi, Georgia;
**Department of Pediatric Surgery, Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia;
***Department of Pediatrics, Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia

A total of 28 patients up to 15 years, who underwent appendectomy with preliminary diagnosis of acute appendicitis have been studied at M. Guramishvili Pediatric Clinic in 2004-2005 years. Procalcitonin concentration has been defined in patients’ blood sera using the Immunoluminometric method (LUMITest PCT, BRAHMS Diagnostika, Berlin, Germany). Analysis of procalcitonin in different groups of patients has shown that increase in procalcitonin correlates with disease severity, and maximally increases in case of acute destructive appendicitis. The procalcitonin level can be used to confirm the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. It has been suggested that procalcitonin can be used not only as diagnostic marker for acute appendicitis but also as a prognostic marker of its complications. Using of procalcitonin in case of acute appendicitis would help to carry out timely surgical interventions and predict disease complications.

Keywords:  procalcitonin, acute appendicitis, post operational complications