ObjectiveTo investigate the diagnostic value of products triggered by endotoxin including cytokines and procalcitonin for differentiating bacterial pneumonia from pulmonary tuberculosis. MethodsFifty patients diagnosed to have hospital-acquired pneumonia and another 50 patients diagnosed with tuberculosis admitted into West China Hospital between January and August 2015 were recruited in this study. The frequencies of CD4+ interferon (IFN)-γ+, CD4+ tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α+, CD4+ interleukin (IL)-2+, CD4+ IL-10+ as well as CD8+IFN-γ+, CD8+TNF-α+, CD8+IL-2+, CD8+IL-10+ populations in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry after endotoxin stimulation. Meanwhile, the levels of procalcitonin, IL-6 and C reactive protein were measured by immunofluorescence staining. ResultsThe frequencies of CD4+ IFN-γ+, CD4+ TNF-α+, CD4+ IL-2+, CD4+ IL-10+ as well as CD8+ IFN-γ+, CD8+ TNF-α+, CD8+ IL-2+, CD8+ IL-10+ populations in the pneumonia group increased significantly compared with those in the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). The levels of procalcitonin, IL-6 and C-reactive protein in the pneumonia group increased statistically compared with the counterparts in the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). The positive rates of procalcitonin, IL-6 and C-reactive protein in the pneumonia group were significantly higher than those in the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). ConclusionMeasurement of products triggered by endotoxin is beneficial for differential diagnosis of pneumonia from tuberculosis.