ABSTRACT

Background: Bacterial infection and a non-infectious inflammatory response require a refined distinction for clinical reasoning to be effective. [Calcitonin Peptide Precursor - Procalcitonin (PCT)] and C-reactive protein (CRP) have received considerable attention as inflammatory markers; however, the extent of their competitive diagnostic value, especially in the presence or absence of co-infections, remains fully explored. Methods: This retrospective observational study took account of PCT and CRP levels in 100 patients, fifty of whom had co-infections. Data were processed through non-parametric tests, including the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test within groups and the Mann-Whitney U Test across groups. Results: The Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Test confirmed substantial decreases in PCT and CRP levels post-infection (Z = -6.125, p = .000 and Z = -6.154, p = .000, respectively), signifying the scale of their change. The Mann-Whitney U Test also confirmed the relevance of the investigated biomarkers, as within the group of patients with active infection, both PCT and CRP were significantly raised (PCT: U = 22.000, p = .000; CRP: U = .000, p = .000). The strength of the association between the biomarkers was measured using Spearman’s correlation. Conclusion: Group comparisons demonstrated significant reductions in PCT and CRP from initial to follow-up measurements. A comparison between the groups showed that the co-infection group had significantly higher levels of both PCT and CRP. Weak statistically non-significant correlations were observed between PCT and CRP. PCT and CRP levels were significantly higher in co-infected patients, indicating that these markers may be useful in cognitively diagnosing and monitoring infections. Additional studies are necessary to formulate appropriate diagnostic frameworks.