Medicina, Free Full-Text
![Medicina, Free Full-Text](https://www.mdpi.com/medicina/medicina-58-01331/article_deploy/html/images/medicina-58-01331-g001-550.jpg)
Background and Objectives: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of sepsis. Inflammatory markers are elevated in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and yet ongoing infection rarely coexists at diagnosis. PCT levels might be helpful in differentiating bacterial from disease-related inflammation. Materials and Methods: We evaluated serum PCT levels and other inflammation markers in newly diagnosed HL patients. Values < 0.50 ng/mL were considered normal (0.10–0.50 ng/mL: detectable, <0.10 ng/mL: undetectable), while values ≥ 0.50 ng/L were considered elevated. Results: Among 137 patients, 55 had B symptoms (40%), 77/130 (59%) had elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and 116 (85%) had elevated C-Reactive Protein (CRP) (median 38.1 mg/L (range; 2.97–328)). PCT levels were normal in most patients (undetectable 94/137 (68.5%) and detectable 41/137(30%)) with median value < 0.10 ng/mL (range; <0.10–15.90). Elevated PCT was recorded in only two patients (1.5%). Patients with PCT < 0.10 ng/mL had significantly lower median CRP (25.75; range (2.97–203.0)) compared to patients with PCT ≥ 0.1 ng/mL (median CRP 92.50 mg/L; range (3.34–328.0)). Almost all patients (40/41, 97.6%) with detectable PCT had elevated CRP. Conclusions: This is the first study showing that the inflammation characterizing HL is not associated with PCT elevations, although CRP levels are elevated in 85% of the patients. Normal PCT levels may rule out the possibility of occult infection, thus preventing extensive evaluation, which may delay treatment initiation.
![](https://www.pdffiller.com/preview/12/37/12037673.png)
145 Prescription Templates
![](https://www.sanacbd.org/cdn-cgi/image/quality%3D85/assets/images/bottle%20pics/co%201000.jpg)
1000mg Full Spectrum Tincture in MCT Oil
Archivos de Medicina Insight Medical Publishing
![](https://img.medscapestatic.com/vim/live/professional_assets/medscape/images/thumbnail_library/gty_240229_adult_man_rating_800x450.jpg?interpolation=lanczos-none&resize=300:*)
Latest Medical News, Clinical Trials, Guidelines - Today on Medscape
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/en3k0jlAW6c/sddefault.jpg?v=62584668)
Medicina Crítica
![](https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/preview/YW/YW007/YW007551V_The-discovery-of-herbal-medicines-their-transport-by-ship-from-the-East-Indies-and-their-presentation-to-the-pagan.jpg)
The discovery of herbal medicines, their transport by ship … free public domain image
BMC, research in progress
![](https://www.ccjm.org/sites/default/files/highwire/ccjom/65/3.cover-source.jpg)
The herbal medicine boom: Understanding what patients are taking
![](https://img.yumpu.com/60532717/1/500x640/ebook-medical-abbreviations-quickstudy-academic-free-ebook.jpg)
eBook Medical Abbreviations Quickstudy Academic Free eBook
![](https://www.traditionalmedicinals.com/cdn/shop/products/hto64hh2cgpxwww3tsgs_525x525.jpg?v=1663888623)
Throat Coat® Tea, Traditional Medicinals
![](https://pub.mdpi-res.com/medicina/medicina-60-00421/article_deploy/html/images/medicina-60-00421-g001a-550.jpg?1709264635)
Medicina An Open Access Journal from MDPI
![](https://cdn.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/persistent/pubmed-meta-image-v2.jpg)
PubMed
PubMed
![](https://pub.mdpi-res.com/medicina/medicina-58-00734/article_deploy/html/images/medicina-58-00734-g001-550.jpg?1653885966)
Paraclinical Made Easy Pdf Download - Colaboratory
![](https://23205932.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/23205932/hubfs/lynton/homepage/img-02.png?width=560&height=489&name=img-02.png)
Fully Searchable Drug Information