C Reactive and Procalcitonin Correlation with WBC Counts in Culture Positive Patients of Sepsis

C Reactive protein (CRP) and Procalcitonin (PCT) are now days used as surrogate marker of sepsis. Studies in literature have emphasized their role in inflammatory disorders and Infections. We conducted a retrospective study of 142 blood culture positive patients and evaluated CRP and PCT correlation with White blood cell (WBC) counts by stratifying the patients on the basis of WBC counts into three categories – low, normal and high. It was concluded that although CRP and PCT have role as a sepsis marker but their correlation in context to WBC count was poor. The diagnosis of sepsis still remains an enigma due to lack of an ideal marker and therefore mandates multidisciplinary approach in diagnosis. Isolated reliance on any laboratory parameter can be misleading causing loss of crucial window period of diagnosis making prognosis grim.