Healthy normal adult volunteers without endocrinological diseases, aged 18-45 and menopausal subjects (>45 years old of age) diagnosed definitly as osteoporosis, Results showed: blood level of calcitonin in healthy adults, male subjects with n=30, median 75, min.30, max 125pg/ml female subjects n=30, median 30, min 10, max 50pg/ml respectively. Calcitonin in male is higher than in female (p<0,05). In female subjects: menopausal patients with osteoporosis, calcitonin level is lower than normal woman in reproductive age (p<0,01). Thyroglobuline level in healthy adult is 13,58 4,2 ng/ml, with no cosiderable difference between male and female
Osteoporosis ; Menopause ; Blood ; Thyroglobulin ; Calcitonin

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the comparability and bias of the test results of two detection systems for serum procalcitonin (PCT) under the same laboratory condition.

METHODSAccording to the profile NCCLS-EP9-A, the two systems were used to detect PCT to obtain the correlation coefficient and the liner equation for evaluation of the test result bias.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONThe test results of PCT showed no significant difference between the two detection systems (P>005) with a kappa value greater than 0.75. The correlation coefficients of both systems were above 0.975, suggesting a consistency between them for clinical detection of PCT.

Bias ; Blood Chemical Analysis ; methods ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Humans ; Protein Precursors ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of scalp penetration acupuncture treating acute cerebral hemorrhage (ACH).

METHODSThe treatment group (n = 30) and the control group (n = 30) were treated with the same basic therapy, but scalp penetration acupuncture was added to the treatment group. Changes of plasma ET and CGRP contents were compared.

RESULTSAfter treatment for 14 days, the content of plasma ET in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.01). Moreover, the content of plasma CGRP was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONScalp penetration acupuncture is able to improve the prognosis of the patient with ACH by means of regulating the contents of plasma ET and CGRP.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Calcitonin ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; therapy ; Endothelins ; blood ; Humans ; Scalp

OBJECTIVETo investigate serum procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations in premature infants with different gestational ages at different times after birth.

METHODSA total of 217 neonates without infection, including 102 premature infants and 115 full-term infants, were enrolled in this study. The premature infants were further divided by gestational age into three subgroups: 30-32 weeks (n=30), 33-34 weeks (n=35) and 35-36 weeks (n=37). All the infants were studied to evaluate serum PCT concentrations at 0-12, 13-24, 25-36, 37-48, 49-72, 73-96, 97-120 and 121-144 hours after birth.

RESULTSIn the newborns, serum PCT concentrations increased gradually after birth, reached peak values at about 24 hours after birth, and then gradually declined and dropped to normal values for children at about 96 hours after birth. In the premature infants, serum PCT concentrations reached peak values at about 36 hours after birth, later than in the full-term infants, then declined slowly and dropped to levels similar to the full-term infants at 96 hours after birth. Serum PCT concentrations in the 30-32 week subgroup remained at low levels after birth, and increased gradually, later than in other premature infants, at 37-48 hours after birth.

CONCLUSIONSEarly after birth, neonates have a changing serum PCT concentration, increasing first and then decreasing. Peak serum PCT levels appear later in premature infants than in full-term infants. Serum PCT concentrations of premature infants with a gestational age of under 32 weeks remain at relatively low levels within 36 hours after birth.

Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; blood ; Protein Precursors ; blood ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in the serum content of immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) after burns or inhalation injury, and to explore its diagnostic significance.

METHODSTwenty-four dogs were randomized into 4 groups, i. e. A (n = 6, with moderate degree inhalation injury) , B ( n = 6, with severe inhalation injury), C (n = 6, with most severe inhalation injury) and D (n = 6, with severe burns) groups. The serum content of iCT and blood gas analysis before and after injury were determined at different time points. The degree of inhalation injury was determined with fibrobronchoscopic examination at 6 post-inhalation injury hour (PIH).

RESULTS(1) Fiber bronchoscopic examination showed that the degree of inhalation injury in each group was coincident with the anticipation. (2) The serum content of iCT in each group at 1 PIH was obviously higher than that before injury, and it was evidently higher in A, B and C groups than that in D group at 4 PIH. The peak value of iCT in group A at 24 PIH was (453+/-224) ng/L, and it increased gradually in B and C groups at 48 PIH. The serum content of iCT increased continually from 2 PIH on, and it reached (125+/-41) ng/L at 48 PIH. (3) Compared with PaO2 value before injury (109+/-8) mmHg, there was no obvious difference of the PaO, in A and D groups. PaO2 value in B and C group began to descend continually at 8 PIH (65+/-6) mmHg, and that in C group began to descend at 4 PIH (71+/-9) mmHg. PaCO2 value in C group began to increase at 24 PIH(52+/-11) mmHg when compared with that before injury(38+/-5 ) mmHg.

CONCLUSIONThe changes in the serum level of iCT within 8 PIH occurred much earlier than PaO2 and PaCO2, thus it has the same diagnostic significance as fibers bronchoscopic examination.

Animals ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Burns, Inhalation ; blood ; physiopathology ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dogs

OBJECTIVENeonatal septicemia is a critical disease in neonatal period. Its incidence among live births is between 1 per thousand and 8 per thousand. Mortality of neonatal septicemia may be as high as 50% for infants who are not treated. The early signs of septicemia in the newborn are generally nonspecific. Blood culture and the other clinical diagnostic measures are not sufficiently sensitive. The present study aimed at evaluating potential use of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosis of septicemia.

METHODSThe experimental group consisted of 50 newborns with septicemia who were treated in Hebei Provincial Children's Hospital from April 1, 2002 to December 30, 2002. Thirty of the 50 cases had positive blood culture. The control group included 35 healthy newborns. Fasting blood samples were taken for bacterial cultures and sICAM-1, CRP, PCT determination. PCT and CRP contents were determined immediately after the specimens were collected. Analyses of sICAM-1 were done after inclusion of the last patient. Serum was separated from each specimen and stored at -20 degrees C within 2 hours. The analyses of sICAM-1 were performed by ELISA technique. CRP was analyzed by immunoturbidimetry assay (ITA). Immunochromatographic test was performed for detection of PCT from 200 ul serum. SPSS 10.0 was used to process the data. P values < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple comparison, chi-square test, paired-samples T test, linear correlation, Spearman correlation analysis, ROC curve were used for statistical analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy, Youden's index for sICAM-1, PCT, CRP and WBC count were calculated. These values were compared with each other.

RESULTS(1) The content of sICAM-1 in control group varied widely from 79 to 1252 ng/ml. Comparison of the data indicated that there was significant difference among the three groups in the content of sICAM-1, CRP and PCT (P < 0.05), but not in WBC count. These markers are considered positive if sICAM-1 >or= 300 ng/ml, CRP >or= 8 mg/l, PCT >or= 2 ng/ml. Their sensitivity was higher than WBC (P < 0.05). Among these indices, PCT has the highest specificity (94.3%), positive predictive (95.6%), negative predictive (82.5%), accuracy (89.4%), and Youden's index (80.3%). (2) No significant difference was found in sICAM-1 between pre- and post-treatment (P > 0.05); however, there was significant difference in CRP and PCT. (3) sICAM-1 was in direct proportion to CRP (r = 0.339,P < 0.01). PCT is correlated with sICAM-1, CRP (the spearman correlation coefficient 0.569, 0.482, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONDifferent individual is in different immune status; The level of sICAM-1 is related with neonatal septicemia. sICAM-1 concentration may be used as a diagnostic tool with high sensitivity (85%) and moderate specificity (54.3%) in neonates suspected of infection. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP (>or= 8 mg/l) were accordingly 87.5% and 54.3%. WBC count had low sensitivity for diagnosis (30.0%); Among these indices, PCT had the highest specificity (94.3%), positive predictive (95.6%), negative predictive (82.5%) Values, accuracy (89.4%), Youden's index (80.3%); No correlation was found between sICAM-1 concentration and their ages in day accordingly. CRP, PCT may be used to estimate the effect of therapy. The correlation of the infectious indices indicates that the body may mobilize many organs at the same time to resist the invasion of organism.

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; blood ; Protein Precursors ; blood ; Sepsis ; blood ; diagnosis

BACKGROUNDRapid detection of bacteremia is important for critically ill patients. Procalcitonin (PCT) has emerged as a marker of sepsis, but its characterization for predicting bacteremia is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of change of PCT within 6 to 12 hours after new fever in predicting bacteremia.

METHODSAn observational study was conducted in the ICU of our hospital from January 2009 to March 2010. Adult patients with new fever were included and grouped as bacteremia and non bacteremia group. Serum PCT concentration was measured at admission and within 6 to 12 hours after new fever (designated PCT0 and PCT1). Other results of laboratory tests and therapeutic interventions were recorded. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors of bacteremia. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was constructed to evaluate the discriminative power of variables to predict bacteremia.

RESULTSTotally 106 patients were enrolled, 60 of whom had bacteremia and 46 did not have bacteremia,. The acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were 13.1 ± 7.8 and 5.0 ± 2.2 at admission, respectively. There was no significant difference in PCT0 between the bacteremia group and nonbacteremia group; 1.27 µg/L (range, 0.10 - 33.3) vs. 0.98 µg/L (range, 0.08 - 25.7), (P = 0.157). However, the PCT1 and the rate of change of PCT were significantly higher in bacteremia group; PCT1 was 6.73 µg/L (1.13 - 120.10) vs. 1.17 µg/L (0.10 - 12.10) (P = 0.001), and the rate of change was 5.62 times (1.05 - 120.6) vs. 0.07 times (-0.03 - 0.18) (P < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC; 95% confidence interval) of the rate of change of PCT was better for predicting bacteremia than that of PCT1; 0.864 (range, 0.801 - 0.927) vs. 0.715 (range, 0.628 - 0.801), (P < 0.05). The AUCs of PCT0 and other parameters (such as WBC count, granulocyte percentage and temperature) were not significantly different (all P > 0.05). The best cut-off value for the rate of change was 3.54 times, with a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 98.0%. It was also an independent predictor of bacteremia (odds ratio 29.7, P < 0.0001) and wasn't correlated with the presence or absence of co-infection, neutropenia or immunodeficiency (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rate of change of PCT is useful for early detection of bacteremia during new fever and superior to the PCT absolute value and other parameters in non-selected ICU patients.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bacteremia ; blood ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Female ; Fever ; blood ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Protein Precursors ; blood

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Pneumonia ; blood ; diagnosis ; Protein Precursors ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the association between procalcitonin (PCT) levels and liver function in liver cirrhosis patients.

METHODSCollect serum samples from 44 liver cirrhosis patients, detect the PCT levels by semi-quantitative solid immunoassay, and at the same time, detect the serum levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, ALB, CHE, CHOL, PTA etc, then rate the patients by Child-pugh scoring system into Child-pugh A, B, C.

RESULTSset PCT > 0.5 microg/L as the positive threshold, significantly the PCT positive patients have higher ALT, TBIL but lower CHOL, PTA compared with the PCT negative patients. With the increasing of PCT levels, the ALT, AST, TBIL levels are gradually increased too, but PTA decreased. We find that the PCT positive patients are mainly Child-pugh B and C patients, and PCT negative patients are mainly Child-pugh C patients. PCT positive patient's lymphocyte count are lower than PCT negative patient's.

CONCLUSIONLiver injury increase the risk of infection in liver cirrhosis patients. As the severity of the injury, the patients are easier to progress into severe infection. Combined with monitoring the PCT levels, pay more attention to protect the liver function will be helpful in early detecting infections and controlling of infection in liver cirrhosis patients.

Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; physiopathology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; blood ; physiopathology ; Liver Function Tests ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Protein Precursors ; blood

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the diagnostic value of measuring serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels, within 6 hours after admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in children with bloodstream infection (BSI)-associated sepsis and septic infection at other sites.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on 30 children with a confirmed diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome who were admitted to the Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between January 2010 and January 2012. Clinical data on serum CRP, PCT and D-dimer levels were collected within 6 hours after admission. The diagnostic values of the indices were determined by comparative analysis.

RESULTSSerum CRP and PCT levels in children with BSI-associated sepsis were significantly higher than in children with septic infection at other sites (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in serum D-dimer levels between the two groups (P>0.05). Serum PCT level was superior to serum CRP level in distinguishing children with BSI-associated sepsis from those with septic infection at other sites. Serum PCT level could not realistically be used for diagnosing BSI-associated sepsis when it was less than 2 ng/mL (negative predictive value: 100%), but could be reliably used when it was more than 10 ng/mL (positive predictive value: 77%).

CONCLUSIONSSerum PCT level is superior to serum CRP level in distinguishing children with BSI-associated sepsis from those with septic infection at other sites within 6 hours after admission to the PICU. Serum PCT level has a better diagnostic value for BSI-associated sepsis when it is more than 10 ng/mL.

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Child ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; analysis ; Humans ; Protein Precursors ; blood ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepsis ; blood ; diagnosis