The Correspondence between Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and Quantitative C - Reactive Protein in Patients with Pneumonia

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Pneumonia severity assessment systems such as the pneumonia severity index (PSI) have been designed to help physicians to decide properly regarding the appropriate site of care in these patients. Along with such systems, serum inflammatory factors such as C-reactive protein (CRP) could be used for predicting the prognosis of patients with pneumonia. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between on-admission quantitative CRP (qCRP) and PSI in hospitalized patients with pneumonia. Materials & Methods: During descriptive-analytical study, 60 hospitalized patients with pneumonia were evaluated in a 12-month period. On admission, risk stratification was performed based on the PSI system, and serum qCRP was measured. The correlation between on-admission qCRP and PSI was calculated. Mean values of qCRP was also compared between the expired and discharged patients. Results: 34 males (56.7%) and 26 females (43.3%) with a mean age of 65.03±17.47 years werestudied. Mean values of on-admission PSI and serum qCRP were 103.95±37.04 (range: 35-221) and 104.12±43.50 (range: 21-217) mg/L respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between on-admission serum qCRP and PSI(r=0.59, p<0.001). Mean serum qCRP was significantly higher in those who died compared with those who discharged (128.70±25.35 vs. 95.18±45.45 mg/L; p=0.01). Conclusion: Based on the results of current study, on-admission serum qCRP is well-correlated with PSI in hospitalized patients with pneumonia and, it can be used as a predicting marker of short-term prognosis.

Keywords: Pneumonia, Pneumonia Severity Index, C - reactive protein