IP-10 AND PROCALCITONIN IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENTS: CORRELATION AND ROLE AS BIOMARKERS

Background: India is a high burden country for COPD and patients usually land up in the Emergency Departments with exacerbations. Bacterial infections are one of the major causes of such exacerbations. Newer biomarkers are required to be identified so that these patients are diagnosed and managed at an early stage, thus reducing the subsequent morbidity and mortality. Interferon-gamma protein-10(IP-10) and procalcitonin(PCT) have been studied as biomarkers but limited literature is available in the Indian context. Material & MethodsAcross sectional and observational study was done to estimate the levels of IP-10 and PCT in 77 patients of COPD presenting with acute exacerbation. IP-10 was done by ELISAand PCT was done by Chemiluminiscence on Advia Centaur-XP. Results: Mean serum IP-10 and PCT were found to be 645.172±528.8pg/ml and 0.928±3.37pg/ml respectively. The study group was further divided into four categories accordingly to the levels of PCT and their IP-10 results were compared. The trend shown in IP-10 values was in accordance with the PCT values, in differentiating between highly unlikely/ unlikely and likely/highly likely bacterial infections. Conclusion: IP-10 and PCTboth can be used as biomarkers of bacterial infections in COPD exacerbations and may be used for guiding subsequent management.