| Utility of Serum Procalcitonin for Diagnosis of Sepsis and Evaluation of Severity. |
|
Taejin Park, Chae Man Lim, Younsuck Koh, Sang Bum Hong |
1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
2Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sbhong@amc.seoul.kr |
|
|
| Abstract |
BACKGROUND
Early recognition and treatment of sepsis would improve patients' outcome. But it is difficult to distinguish between sepsis and non-infectious conditions in the acute phase of clinical deterioration. We studied serum level of procalcitonin (PCT) as a method to diagnose and to evaluate sepsis. METHODS: Between 1 March 2009 and 30 September 2009, 178 patients had their serum PCT tested during their clinical deterioration in the medical intensive care unit. These laboratories were evaluated, on a retrospective basis. We classified their clinical status as non-infection, local infection, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. Then, we compared their clinical status with level of PCT. RESULTS: The number of clinical status is as follows: 18 non-infection, 33 local infection, 39 sepsis, 26 severe sepsis, and 62 septic shock patients. PCT level of non-septic group (non-infection and local infection) and septic group (sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock) was 0.36+/-0.57 ng/mL and 18.09+/-36.53 ng/mL (p<0.001), respectively. Area under the curve for diagnosis of sepsis using cut-off value of PCT >0.5 ng/mL was 0.841 (p<0.001). Level of PCT as clinical status was statistically different between severe sepsis and septic shock (*severe sepsis; 4.53+/-6.15 ng/mL, *septic shock 34.26+/-47.10 ng/mL, *p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Level of PCT at clinical deterioration showed diagnostic power for septic condition. The level of PCT was statistically different between severe sepsis and septic shock. |
| Key Words:
Sepsis, Biomarkers, Procalcitonin, Diagnosis |
|
PDF Links
Full text via DOI
Download Citation
