Serum Procalcitonin Levels in Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) continues to be a major contributor to both mortality and morbidity among children under five years of age. Recently, there has been growing interest in procalcitonin (PCT) as potential biomarker for CAP. Emerging evidence indicates that a low procalcitonin level has a high negative predictive value for ruling out typical bacterial infections in pediatric patients. In light of this, the present study aims to evaluate the clinical utility of PCT in managing pediatric CAP. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out on 78 children, aged between 2 months and 5 years, who were diagnosed with CAP. The study collected various clinical details including age, sex, and symptoms such as fever history, feeding difficulties, convulsions, lethargy, cyanosis, chest in drawing, respiratory rates, auscultatory findings (e.g., bilateral lung air entry, inspiratory crepitations, bronchial breathing), and oxygen saturation levels. Routine laboratory tests, including complete blood count, serum CRP, blood cultures, chest X-rays, and serum PCT levels, were conducted. Results: Of the 78 children diagnosed with CAP, 60.26% were aged between 2 to 5 months. In the study population, 69.23% showed mildly elevated serum PCT levels, while 20.51% had significantly elevated levels. A robust correlation was found between PCT levels and pneumonia severity (P < 0.01), as well as between PCT levels and clinical outcomes (P < 0.01). However, PCT’s role in aiding early diagnosis remained inconclusive. Conclusion: The study suggests that serum PCT could serve as a valuable marker for determining the severity and prognosis of CAP in children. None of the children with elevated PCT levels, who received antibiotics, developed further CAP-related complications.