Comparative Analysis of Procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein in Bloodstream Infections Among Febrile Neutropenic Pediatric Cancer Patients

Febrile neutropenia is a serious complication in pediatric cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, often leading to bloodstream infections, where early diagnosis is critical. This prospective observational study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Northern India from August 2023 to July 2024, included 106 pediatric patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia to compare the diagnostic performance of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Bloodstream infections were confirmed in 32 patients (30.2%), comprising 20 Gram-negative, 11 Gram-positive, and one fungal isolate. PCT levels were significantly higher in Gram-negative infections (19.27 ± 10.56 ng/mL) than in Gram-positive infections (2.57 ± 2.35 ng/mL, p