Observation on change in procalcitonin in the perioperative period of total hip replacement

Objective: To examine the change in Procalcitonin (PCT) during the perioperative period of primary total hip replacement and to investigate the diagnostic value of PCT for prosthetic joint infection. Methods: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) were measured and analysed in 36 patients with primary hip replacement both before the surgery and 1, 4, and 10 d after surgery between June 2013 and March 2017. Results: PCT, CRP, and ESR in these patients showed a decreasing trend after an initial increase. The peak time of PCT was the day immediately after surgery. A significant difference in PCT levels 1 and 4 d after surgery was indicated (P<0.05). The peak time of both CRP and ESR was 4 d after surgery, and significant differences in the CRP and ESR levels were determined (P<0.05). The patients were divided into several groups according to the type of disease. No significant differences were indicated in the PCT, CRP, and ESR levels at corresponding time points among the groups before and after surgery (P>0.05). Conclusion: Compared with CRP and ESR, PCT had a short peak time and exhibited high specificity, and detection of PCT combined with CRP and ESR can improve the diagnostic rate of early prosthetic joint infection.