Abstract
Objective: Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a
zoonotic infection characterized by fever and hemorrhage that is endemic
to northeastern Turkey. This study aimed to examine the association
between procalcitonin and venous blood gas parameters and clinical
course and prognosis in patients with CCHF.
Methods: A total of 96 CCHF patients who were followed up in
the infectious diseases department between March and September 2020 were
included in the study. The patients’ routine laboratory tests, serum
procalcitonin, and results of venous blood gas analysis were analyzed
retrospectively.
Results: There were statistically significantly differences in
serum platelet, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, creatinine
kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, potassium, C-reactive protein,
sedimentation, D-dimer, activated partial thromboplastin time, ferritin,
procalcitonin and lactate levels, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio among
the patients with mild, moderate and severe disease (p=0.017 for
potassium and p=0.001 for rest of others). In receiver operating
characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of serum lactate for the
differentiation of patients with severe disease and those with
mild/moderate disease, the area under the curve was 0.802 and a cut-off
value of 1.9 mmol/L had 77.8% sensitivity and 76.9% specificity. For
serum procalcitonin, the area under the ROC curve was 0.892 and a
cut-off value of 0.61 ng/ml had 83.3% sensitivity and 89.7%
specificity.
Conclusion: Serum procalcitonin and lactate levels may be
useful and easily obtained parameters to guide the evaluation of
clinical severity and follow-up in patients with CCHF.
Keywords: Blood gas, Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever,
procalcitonin