Procalcitonin as a Marker for Early Diagnosis of Sepsis

Abstract

Sepsis is a critical condition often caused by bacterial infection and associated with death and mortality. The prognosis of this disease depends on early diagnosis and proper treatment. Definite diagnosis of sepsis is positive blood culture and this test needs a long time to perform, so other biochemical parameters such as procalcitonin serum level has been introduced. To determine sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of procalcitonin serum level at first time and 72 h after admission and to compare it with blood culture test for diagnosis of sepsis. Blood sample for blood culture, prepheral blood smear at first time and procalcitonin serum level measuring by semi quantitative method at first and 72 h after admission were sampled. Nine patients had positive blood cultures. Peripheral blood smear was positive in 38 patients, (29 patients: gram stain positive, 6 patients: gram stain negative and 3 patients: both gram positive and gram negative). At first time 76.8% had positive procalcitonin (>0.5 ng mL −1 ) and after 72 h 65% of patients had positive procalcitonin. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of procalcitonin at the first time were 100, 16,16 and 100% and for procalcitonin after 72 h respectively were 75, 35, 15 and 90%. This study showed that sensitivity of procalcitonin serum level can be used for diagnosis of sepsis. Procalcitonin increased as severity of sepsis and this study suggests high serum level of procalcitonin after 72 h might indicate poor outcome.

Comparison of diagnostic and prognostic utility of lactate and procalcitonin for sepsis in adult cancer patients presenting to emergency department with systemic inflammatory response syndrome

“…Procalcitonin has been shown to be valuable in the diagnosis and demonstration of the severity and prognosis of sepsis in literature. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 Lactate has also been suggested as a useful marker in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis in many studies. However, cancer patients were excluded in most of those studies.…”

New Insights into Sepsis Therapy Using Sepia Officinalis

“…The use of a diagnostic gold standard or reference standard is considered the best method for establishing the presence or absence of a disease. Procalcitonin (PCT) is known as a biochemical marker for the early diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis ( 24 ). PCT is the propeptide precursor protein of the calcitonin hormone, and has no hormonal activity.…”

Antiseptic effect of sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) against multi-organ failure induced by sepsis: Molecular and histopathological study

“…Sepsis, one of the main issues encountered in the majority of health care centers, is a life-threatening disease that causes widespread mortality worldwide ( 1 ). The mortality rate of uncomplicated sepsis is ~25%, increasing to 80% in patients that proceed to develop multiple organ failure ( 2 ).…”