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. 2012;67(3):243-7.
doi: 10.6061/clinics/2012(03)07.

Evaluation of serial C-reactive protein measurements after surgical treatment of pleural empyema

Israel Lopes Medeiros  1 , Ricardo Mingarini Terra, Esther Mihwa Choi, Paulo Manuel Pego-Fernandes, Fabio Biscegli Jatene
Affiliations

Evaluation of serial C-reactive protein measurements after surgical treatment of pleural empyema

Israel Lopes Medeiros et al. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2012.

Abstract

Objective: Serial C-reactive protein measurements have been used to diagnose and monitor the response to therapy in patients with pneumonia and other infectious diseases. Nonetheless, the role of C-reactive protein measurement after surgical treatment for pleural empyema is not well defined. The aim of this study is to describe the behavior of C-reactive protein levels after the surgical treatment of pleural empyema and to correlate this parameter with the patient's prognosis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the records of patients with pleural empyema treated by either chest-tube drainage or surgery from January 2006 to December 2008. C-reactive protein levels were recorded preoperatively and 2 and 7 days postoperatively. The clinical outcome was binary: success or failure (mortality or the need for repeated pleural intervention).

Results: The study group comprised fifty-two patients. The median C-reactive protein values were as follows: 146 mg/L (pre-operative), 134 mg/L (post-operative day 2), and 116 mg/L (post-operative day 7). There was a trend toward a decrease in these values during the first week after surgery, but this difference was only statistically significant on day 7 after surgery. Over the first week after surgery, the C-reactive protein values decreased similarly in both groups (successful and failed treatment). No correlation between the preoperative C-reactive protein level and the clinical outcome was found.

Conclusions: We observed that, in contrast to other medical conditions, C-reactive protein levels fall slowly during the first postoperative week in patients who have undergone surgical treatment for pleural empyema. No correlation between the perioperative C-reactive protein level and the clinical outcome was observed.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CRP changes during the first postoperative week.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The CRP pattern of change according to outcome.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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