Predictive value of combined detection of interleukin-6, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in pediatric acute bacterial upper respiratory tract infection

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to analyze the predictive value of combined detection of interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) for pediatric acute bacterial upper respiratory tract infection (ABURTI). Methods A total of 210 children with acute upper respiratory infection (AURI) treated from January 2021 to October 2024 were enrolled into an infected group, and 130 healthy children receiving physical examination in the same period were included in a healthy group. Their levels of serum inflammatory factors (IL-6, PCT, and CRP) were detected. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to analyze the value of the combination of IL-6, PCT, and CRP for predicting AURI. Based on comprehensive etiological culture results and clinical evaluation, the infected group was subdivided into a bacterial group (n=140) and a non-bacterial group (n=70). Results IL-6, PCT, and CRP alone and their combination had the areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.876, 0.884, 0.882, and 0.926, respectively, for AURI diagnosis. The levels of IL-6, PCT, and CRP were higher in the bacterial group than in the non-bacterial group (p<0.05). High levels of IL-6, PCT, and CRP were risk factors for ABURTI (OR>1, p<0.05). AUCs of IL-6, PCT, and CRP alone as well as their combination for diagnosing ABURTI were 0.851, 0.890, 0.847, and 0.922, respectively. Conclusions IL-6, PCT, and CRP have high levels in the serum of ABURTI children, and their combination can enhance the value for predicting ABURTI.