Isolated, low PPV was found in our study with a low sensitivity and high specificity; however, Ho et al. [31] reported that PPV may reach 93.1 % when combined with leukopenia (<4000/mm3), thrombocytopenia (<150 × 103/mm3), partial thromboplastin time (>38 s), elevated aminotransferases (AST/ALT >1.5), and low C-reactive protein (<20 mg/l) [30]. Here, CRP is linked to Decreased total leukocyte count.