Table 3 Comparison of patients with or without bacterial/parasitic infection (univariate analysis) and identification of variables predictive of bacterial/parasitic infection after stepwise logistic regression analysis (multivariate analysis)

Sex (male)

40 (47%)

94 (44%)

NS

Age (year)

54 ± 25

57 ± 19

NS

Temperature (°C)

39.1 ± 0.6

39.2 ± 0.6

NS

Heart rate (beats/min)

101 ± 21

107 ± 20

0.03

Systolic arterial blood pressure (mmHg)

131 ± 23

127 ± 22

NS

Immunodepression

20 (26%)

51 (30%)

NS

Headache

27 (35%)

37 (22%)

0.04

Myalgia

23 (30%)

30 (18%)

0.04

Emergency physician diagnosis

70 (29%)

173 (71%)

< 0.001

7.54 [3.60–15.82]

< 0.001

Haemoglobin level (mg/l)

128 ± 19

125 ± 23

NS

White blood cell count (/mm³)

8060 ± 3777

11688 ± 8039

< 0.001

Neutrophil leukocytes ≥ 7,500/mm³

21 (28%)

88 (54%)

< 0.001

3.17 [1.52–6.62]

0.002

Platelet count (10³/mm³)

198 ± 90

204 ± 99

NS

Creatinine (μmol/l)

97 ± 39

118 ± 97

NS

PCT (μg/l)

0.7 ± 2.2

11.1 ± 39.0

< 0.001

PCT ≥ 0.2 μg/l

31 (41%)

128 (77%)

< 0.001

4.54 [2.19–9.39]

< 0.001

CRP (mg/l)

39 ± 48

150 ± 128

< 0.001

CRP ≥ 40 mg/l

28 (38%)

122 (76%)

< 0.001

3.67 [1.79–7.53]

< 0.001