Aim: Early identification and treatment of
infections in patients using domiciliary non-invasive
mechanical ventilation (NIMV) due to chronic
respiratory failure (CRF) can reduce hospital admissions. We assessed
C-reactive protein (CRP),
procalcitonin, and neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as indicators of
infection/
inflammation. Methods: The study was designed as a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study, and was performed in 2016 in an intensive care unit outpatient clinic in patients using NIMV. Patients who came to the outpatient clinic with
dyspnea, increased sputum, increased
prothrombin, and who had hemogram,
procalcitonin, and serum CRP, NLR, and PLT/MPV levels assessed, were enrolled into the study. Demographic characteristics, co-morbid diseases, respiratory symptoms, hemogram, biochemistry, CRP, and
procalcitonin values in stable and acute attack patients were recorded from patient files. The descriptive statistics and CRP, NLR, and
procalcitonin values were assessed. Results: During the study period, 49 patients (24 female) with
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (
COPD, n = 24),
obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS, n = 15), or
interstitial lung disease, n = 10), and having had three inflammatory markers assessed, were included in the study. Their mean age was 67 (SD ± 12). Stable patients vs. those who had an acute attack was 41 vs. eight, and within 7 days of outpatient admission four patients were hospitalized. CRP, NLR, and PLT/MPV values were similar in patients' who had sputum purulence, and an increase in
dyspnea and sputum, but
procalcitonin was significantly higher in patients who had an acute attack.
Procalcitonin was not correlated with CRP, NLR, and PLT/MPV. Conclusions: Patients with CRF had similar levels of CRP and NLR during a stable and acute attack state.
Procalcitonin may be a better marker for therapeutic decisions in advanced chronic inflammatory diseases.