Serum concentrations of procalcitonin after cardiac surgery

Prognostic Value of Procalcitonin for Morbidity and Mortality in Patients after Cardiac Surgery

Background

The increased serum procalcitonin (PCT) level in cardiac patients is known as a sign of postoperative complications.

Objective

Considering the importance of predicting the incidence of both complications and mortality caused by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, this study was conducted to determine the serum PCT level and its relationship with one-year morbidity and mortality among CABG patients.

Methods

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 100 patients who underwent CABG surgery in Vali-e-Asr Hospital of Birjand, Iran. They were selected by a census sampling method from March 2014 to March 2015. The Elecsys BRAHMS PCT kit (Roche Company) was then used to measure the patients' serum PCT level. The required data were collected using the patients' medical records and telephone interviews with the patient or his/her relatives by passing one year from their discharge. The outcomes of this study comprised of mortality and morbidity causes (e.g., dysrhythmia, infection, and stroke). The data were then analyzed in SPSS version 16 by Mann–Whitney, chi-squared, and Fisher exact tests.

Results

The postoperative serum PCT level is significantly correlated with sternum wound infection (p=0.001), packed cells (PC) transfusion (p=0.003), and death (p=0.003). In addition, a significant relationship was found between dyslipidemia and hypertension and early mortality rate in patients with high levels of PCT. Of note, risk-adjusted death did not differ significantly between the serum PCT levels after one year (RR, 0.068; 95% CI 0.008–0.566).

Conclusion

Higher PCT serum levels in CABG patients are associated with the increased early mortality rate, sternum wound infection, and PC transfusion. Additionally, the other factors associated with mortality in the patients under study included dyslipidemia and hypertension.

Perioperative management after elective cardiac surgery: the predictive value of procalcitonin for infective and noninfective complications

Objective: Procalcitonin (PCT) has been associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Nevertheless, there is no consensus on thresholds and timing of PCT measurement to predict adverse outcomes. Materials & methods: A total of 960 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were retrospectively evaluated. PCT levels were measured from the first to the seventh postoperative day (POD). The onset of complications was recorded. Results: Complications occurred in 421 (44%) patients. PCT on the third POD was associated with the occurrence of any kind of complications (odds ratio: 1.06; p: 0.037), and noninfectious complications (odds ratio: 1.05; p: 0.035), after adjusting. PCT above the median value at the third POD (>0.33 μg/l) predicted postoperative complications (incidence rate ratio: 1.13; p = 0.035). Conclusion: PCT seems to predict postoperative complications in cardiac surgery. The determination at the third POD yields the greatest sensitivity and specificity.

The diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin in infectious patients after cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) induces an acute inflammatory response that may lead to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome. The interest in procalcitonin (PCT) in the diagnosis of bacterial infection in patients after cardiac surgery remains less defined. The aim of this meta-analysis is to prospectively examine the discriminatory power of PCT as markers of infection in hospitalized patients with after cardiac surgery. The bivariate generalized nonlinear mixed-effect model and the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic model were used to estimate the pooled sensitivity, specificity and summary receiver operating characteristic curve. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.87) and 0.78 (95% CI 0.73-0.83), respectively. The pooled positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of PCT were 3.74 (95% CI 2.98-4.69) and 0.24 (95% CI 0.17-0.32), respectively. The pooled area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of PCT using the HSROC method was 0.87 (95% CI 0.84- 0.90). This study indicated that PCT is a promising marker for the diagnosis of sepsis for those patients who undergo cardiac surgery.

New reference ranges of procalcitonin excluding respiratory failure in neonates

BACKGROUND

Existing reference data on serum procalcitonin (PCT) in neonates include the effects of respiratory disorders commonly occurring during birth. We aimed to determine new 95% reference intervals in neonates after excluding the influence of respiratory failure at birth, and to investigate the effects of gestational age (GA) and respiratory condition at birth on postnatal transient serum PCT elevation.

METHODS

Samples were obtained from term and preterm neonates during the first 3 days of life. Neonates were classified into reference, respiratory failure, and bacterial infection groups. In the reference group, the correlation between PCT level and GA was investigated.

RESULTS

The median PCT level within the 95% range 12-36 h after birth was 1.05 ng/mL (0.14-4.39) in term neonates (143 samples) and 1.01 ng/mL (0.15-4.44) in preterm neonates (95 samples). There was no correlation between GA and serum PCT level during 1-48 h after birth. There was a significant difference in median serum PCT level during 12-36 h after birth between the respiratory failure (9.56 ng/mL) and bacterial infection (49.82 ng/mL) groups in preterm neonates but no difference between term neonates (respiratory failure 6.83 ng/mL, and bacterial infection 7.43 ng/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory failure is the main effector for the transient elevation in serum PCT levels at 3 days of life. After excluding the influence of respiratory failure, the chronological pattern and range were very similar between term and preterm neonates. Procalcitonin can be useful for clinicians in distinguishing bacterial infection from respiratory failure, aiding decisions on appropriate antibiotic use.

Comparison of Postoperative Changes in Inflammatory Marker Levels Between Transthoracic and Transcatheter Device Closures of Atrial Septal Defects in Children

Objective

To explore the postoperative changes in inflammatory markers in children who underwent device closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) via a transthoracic or transcatheter approach.

Methods

The experimental and clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed for a total of 53 pediatric patients between September 2018 and December 2018. According to the different treatments, 19 patients who underwent transthoracic device closure were assigned to group A, and the remaining 34 patients who underwent a transcatheter approach were assigned to group B.

Results

All patients were successfully occluded without any device-related severe complication. Compared with the preoperative levels, the postoperative levels of most inflammatory cytokines in both groups were significantly increased and reached a peak on the first day after the procedure. The level of postoperative inflammatory cytokines was significantly lower in group B than in group A. In addition, there was no significant difference in procalcitonin before and after the transcatheter approach.

Conclusion

Systemic inflammatory reactions occurred after transthoracic or transcatheter device closure of ASDs in pediatric patients. However, these inflammatory reactions were more significant in patients who underwent a transthoracic approach than in patients who underwent a transcatheter approach.

Higher incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome in cardiac surgical patients with elevated serum procalcitonin concentration: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory response is activated during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), which may lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and procalcitonin (PCT) increases during this inflammatory response. The objective of the study was to validate whether patients with higher serum PCT concentrations have a higher incidence of ARDS.

METHODS

The study was a prospective, single-center, observational cohort study. All patients who received cardiac surgery with CPB were screened for study eligibility. Patients were assigned to the PCT-elevated cohort or the control cohort according to serum PCT concentration on the first postoperative day with a cut-off value of 7.0 ng/mL. Patients were followed up until the 7th postoperative day. The primary endpoint was the incidence of ARDS, which was diagnosed according to the Berlin definition.

RESULTS

A total of 296 patients were enrolled, 64 patients were assigned to the PCT-elevated cohort and 232 patients were assigned to the control cohort. PCT concentration was 16.23 ± 5.9 ng/mL in the PCT-elevated cohort, and 2.70 ± 1.43 ng/mL in the control cohort (p < 0.001). The incidence of ARDS was significantly higher in the PCT-elevated cohort than in the control cohort (21.9% versus 5.6%, p < 0.001). The incidence of moderate-to-severe ARDS was also significantly higher in the PCT-elevated cohort than in the control cohort (10.9% versus 0.4%, p < 0.001). The hazard ratio of ARDS at 7 days in the PCT-elevated cohort, as compared with the control cohort, was 6.8 (95% confidence interval 2.7 to 17.4). The hazard ratio of moderate-to-severe ARDS in the PCT-elevated cohort was 57.3 (95% confidence interval 10.4 to 316.3). The positive predictive value of PCT for ARDS and moderate-to-severe ARDS were 0.242 and 0.121, respectively; the negative predictive value of PCT for ARDS and moderate-to-severe ARDS were 0.952 and 1.0, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac surgical patients with elevated PCT concentration have a higher incidence of ARDS. Elevated PCT may serve as a warning signal of postoperative ARDS in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Study registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-OCH-14005076).

Procalcitonin accurately predicts lung transplant adults with low risk of pulmonary graft dysfunction and intensive care mortality

PURPOSE

We evaluated the association of procalcitonin (PCT), IL-6-8-10 plasma levels during the first 72h after lung transplantation (LT) with ICU-mortality, oxygenation, primary graft dysfunction (PGD), and one-year graft function after LT.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Prospective, observational study. PCT and IL-6-8-10 plasma levels were measured at 24h, 48h and 72h after LT from 100 lung transplant recipients (LTr). Patients were followed until one year after LT. End-points were ICU survival, grade 3 PGD at 72h and one-year graft function.

RESULTS

Higher PCT at 24h was associated with lower PaO₂/F_IO₂ ratio and Grade 3 PGD over the first 72h after LT (p<0.05). PCT at 24h was higher in the 9 patients who died (2.90 vs 1.47ng/mL, p<0.05), with AUC=0.74 for predicting ICU-mortality. All patients with PCT<2ng/mL at 24h following LT, survived in the ICU (p<0.05). PCT and IL-10 at 48h were correlated with FEV₁ (rho=-0.35) and FVC (rho=-0.29) one year after LT. (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A breakpoint of PCT<2ng/mL within 24h has a high predictive value to exclude grade 3 PGD at 72h and for ICU survival. Moreover, both PCT and IL-10 within 48h were associated with significantly better graft function one year after surgery.

Diagnostic Value of Procalcitonin on Early Postoperative Infection After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVES

Assess the diagnostic value of serial monitoring of procalcitonin levels on early postoperative infection after pediatric cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational study.

SETTING

A pediatric cardiac surgical ICU (PICU) and pediatric cardiac surgery department at Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College.

PATIENTS

Patients were 3 years old and below, underwent cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass, the Aristotle Comprehensive Complexity score was 8 or higher and free from active preoperative infection or inflammatory disease.

INTERVENTIONS

Blood samples for measurement of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and WBC were taken before surgery and daily for 7 days in postoperative period. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging data were collected on enrollment. Procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, WBC levels, and procalcitonin variation were calculated and compared between those with and without infection.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Two hundred and thirty-eight children were enrolled. Presence of infection within 7 days of surgery, length of intubation, and ICU stay were documented. Two independent experts in regard to the complete medical chart determined the final diagnosis of postoperative infection. Infection was diagnosed in 45 patients. Procalcitonin peaked on the first postoperative day. No differences were found on procalcitonin within 3 days after operation between the infected and the noninfected patients, and significant correlation was found between procalcitonin on postoperative days 1-3 and cardiopulmonary bypass duration. Serum procalcitonin concentration was always higher than 1.0 ng/mL within 7 days after surgery and/or procalcitonin variation between postoperative days 4 and 7 was positive in the infected patients. Best receiver operating characteristics curves area under the curve were obtained for procalcitonin and procalcitonin variation from postoperative days 5 to 7. WBC- and C-reactive protein-related receiver operating characteristics curves area under the curve revealed a very poor ability to predict infection. Logistic regression found that only procalcitonin on postoperative day 7 and PICU stay was independently correlated to the infection status. There was no significant correlation between the absolute value of procalcitonin and timing of infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Procalcitonin was more accurate than C-reactive protein and WBC to predict early postoperative infection, but the diagnostic properties of procalcitonin could not be observed during the first 3 postoperative days due to the inflammatory process related to cardiopulmonary bypass. The dynamic change of procalcitonin is more important than the absolute value to predict postoperative infection. The maintenance of a high level (procalcitonin > 1.0 ng/mL) within 7 days after surgery and/or a second increase in procalcitonin between the fourth and the seventh postoperative day could be used as an indicator of postoperative infection. Continuous procalcitonin monitoring might help to discover infection earlier.

Management of Postoperative Fever in Adult Cardiac Surgical Patients

Postoperative fever after cardiac surgery is a common occurrence. Most fevers are benign and self-limiting resulting from inflammation caused by surgical trauma and blood contact with cardiopulmonary bypass circuit resulting in the release of cytokines. Only a small percentage of time is postoperative fever due to an infection complicating surgery. The presence of fever frequently triggers a battery of diagnostic tests that are costly, could expose the patient to unnecessary risks, and can produce misleading or inconclusive results. It is therefore important that fever be evaluated in a systematic, prudent, clinically appropriate, and cost-effective manner. This article focuses on the current evidence regarding pathophysiology, incidence, causes, evaluation, and management of fever in postoperative adult cardiac surgical patients.

Prognostic value of procalcitonin in patients after elective cardiac surgery: a prospective cohort study

Background

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a well-known prognostic marker after elective cardiac surgery. However, the impact of elevated PCT in patients with an initially uneventful postoperative course is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate PCT levels as a prognostic tool for delayed complications after elective cardiac surgery.

Methods

A prospective study was performed in 751 patients with an apparently uneventful postoperative course within the first 24 h after elective cardiac surgery. Serum PCT concentration was taken the morning after surgery. All patients were screened for the occurrence of delayed complications. Delayed complications were defined by in-hospital death, intensive care unit readmission, or prolonged length of hospital stay (>12 days). Odds ratios (OR) [with 95% confidence interval (CI)] were calculated by logistic regression analyses and adjusted for confounders. Predictive capacity of PCT for delayed complications was calculated by ROC analyses. The cutoff value of PCT was derived from the Youden Index calculation.

Results

Among 751 patients with an initially uneventful postoperative course, 117 patients developed delayed complications. Serum PCT levels the first postoperative day were significantly higher in these 117 patients (8.9 ng/ml) compared to the remaining 634 (0.9 ng/ml; p < 0.001). ROC analyses showed that PCT had a high accuracy to predict delayed complications (optimal cutoff value of 2.95 ng/ml, AUC of 0.90, sensitivity 73% and specificity 97%). Patients with PCT levels above 2.95 ng/ml the first postoperative day had a highly increased risk of delayed complications (adjusted OR, 110.2; 95% CI 51.5–235.5; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

A single measurement of PCT seems to be a useful tool to identify patients at risk of delayed complications despite an initially uneventful postoperative course.

Procalcitonin as a biomarker of bacterial infection in pediatric patients after congenital heart surgery

Background:

Bacterial infection (BI) after congenital heart surgery (CHS) is associated with increased morbidity and is difficult to differentiate from systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Procalcitonin (PCT) has emerged as a reliable biomarker of BI in various populations.

Aim:

To determine the optimal PCT threshold to identify BI among children suspected of having infection following CPB.

Setting and Design:

Single-center retrospective observational study.

Materials and Methods:

Medical records of all the patients admitted between January 2013 and April 2015 were reviewed. Patients in the age range of 0-21 years of age who underwent CHS requiring CPB in whom PCT was drawn between postoperative days 0-8 due to suspicion of infection were included.

Statistical Analysis:

The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for nonparametric variables. The diagnostic performance of PCT was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results:

Ninety-eight patients were included. The median age was 2 months (25th and 75th interquartile of 0.1-7.5 months). Eleven patients were included in the BI group. The median PCT for the BI group (3.42 ng/mL, 25th and 75th interquartile of 2.34-5.67) was significantly higher than the median PCT for the noninfected group (0.8 ng/mL, 25th and 75th interquartile 0.38-3.39), P = 0.028. The PCT level that yielded the best compromise between the sensitivity (81.8%) and specificity (66.7%) was 2 ng/mL with an area under the ROC curve of 0.742.

Conclusion:

A PCT less than 2 ng/mL makes BI unlikely in children suspected of infection after CHS.

Serum Procalcitonin as a Valuable Diagnostic Tool in the Early Detection of Infectious Complications after Open Abdominal Aortic Repair

BACKGROUND

Aortic aneurysm repair is a resolutive and effective surgical operation, which can be associated with severe postoperative complications. Procalcitonin (PCT) in clinical practice could play a role in early diagnosis and monitoring of therapy for complications, especially infections, making for timely and more effective interventions. Our aim was to investigate whether PCT could be a predictive marker in early diagnosis of infectious complications after open abdominal aortic surgery.

METHODS

Eighty-three consecutive patients who underwent elective open aortic repair at our institution were enrolled. Blood samples were taken before surgery, and each day over the 7-day postoperative period, and measurement of serum PCT, C-reactive protein (CRP), and leukocytes levels were carried out. Data regarding clinical progress, instrumental examinations, and blood chemistry were prospectively collected.

RESULTS

Postoperative infectious complications occurred in 24 patients. Within 30 days, 1 death occurred. In the study sample, we found a significant difference in PCT curves of patients with and without infectious complications, especially on third postoperative day (POD; P = 0.004). On analysis of the area under the curve (AUC curve), PCT was shown to be a fair predictor in distinguishing cases with infectious complications (AUC, 0.765 on third POD; CI, 0.638-0.877). Conversely, other inflammatory markers commonly used (leucocytes and CRP) had similar trends in patients with and without postoperative infections.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of the results collected in this pilot study, despite some limitations, PCT could be considered a better marker of infectious complications after open abdominal aortic repair, when compared with other routinely used parameters.

Procalcitonin in patients with influenza A (H1N1) infection and acute respiratory failure

OBJECTIVE

To verify serum procalcitonin levels of patients with acute respiratory failure secondary to influenza A (H1N1) upon their admission to the Intensive Care Unit and to compare these results to values found in patients with sepsis and trauma admitted to the same unit.

METHODS

Analysis of records of patients infected with influenza A (H1N1) and respiratory failure admitted to the General Intensive Care Unit during in a period of 60 days. The values of serum procalcitonin and clinical and laboratory data were compared to those of all patients admitted with sepsis or trauma in the previous year.

RESULTS

Among patients with influenza A (H1N1) (n = 16), the median serum procalcitonin level upon admission was 0.11 ng/mL, lower than in the sepsis group (p < 0.001) and slightly lower than in trauma patients. Although the mean values were low, serum procalcitonin was a strong predictor of hospital mortality in patients with influenza A (H1N1).

CONCLUSION

Patients with influenza A (H1N1) with severe acute respiratory failure presented with low serum procalcitonin values upon admission, although their serum levels are predictors of hospital mortality. The kinetics study of this biomarker may be a useful tool in the management of this group of patients.

Procalcitonin as a diagnostic marker of ventilator-associated pneumonia in cardiac surgery patients

The aim of the present study was to assess whether procalcitonin (PCT) can be used as a diagnostic marker for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in cardiac surgery patients. Between January 2012 and June 2013, a total of 92 patients were recruited and divided into non-VAP (59 patients) and VAP (33 patients) groups. The preoperative and postoperative characteristics of the patients were recorded. Serum levels of PCT, interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Subsequently, receiver operating characteristic curves of the PCT, IL-6 and CRP levels were constructed. In addition, associations between the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores and the serum levels of PCT, IL-6 and CRP in the VAP patients were analyzed. No statistically significant difference was observed between the non-VAP and VAP patients in the occurrence of postoperative complications. However, the SOFA scores (days 1 and 7), the duration of stay in the intensive care unit and the mechanical ventilation time were all significantly higher in the VAP group when compared with the non-VAP group (P<0.05). The optimum PCT cut-off value for VAP diagnosis on day 1 was 5.0 ng/ml, with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 71%. The serum PCT levels on days 1 and 7 were found to correlate positively with the SOFA scores (r=0.54 and r=0.66 for days 1 and 7, respectively). Therefore, the results suggested that serum PCT may be used as diagnostic marker for VAP in patients following cardiac surgery.

Procalcitonin as a predictor of moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: a study protocol for a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Procalcitonin (PCT) is activated during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and may be a predictor of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The objective of this study is to determine whether patients with different serum PCT concentrations exhibit different rates of developing moderate to severe ARDS.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a prospective, single centre, observational cohort study. All patients admitted to the cardiosurgery department for cardiac surgery with CPB were screened for study eligibility. All eligible patients received a CPB procedure. Blood samples were obtained to determine white cell counts as well as N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, C reactive protein and PCT levels. Patients were assigned to the PCT elevated cohort or the control cohort based on serum PCT concentrations on the first postoperative day with a cut-off value of 7.0 ng/mL. Data, including baseline, perioperative and outcome data, were collected daily for 7 days. The primary end point was the incidence of moderate to severe ARDS, which was diagnosed according to the Berlin definition.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Fujian Provincial Hospital. Study findings are disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

STUDY REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-OCH-14005076).

Markedly elevated procalcitonin in early postoperative period in pediatric open heart surgery: a prospective cohort study

Background

We encountered markedly elevated procalcitonin (PCT) among pediatric patients during the early postoperative period of open heart surgery. The purpose of this study is to investigate what factors are associated with the PCT elevation.

Methods

Fifty-two pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were enrolled. Plasma PCT, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT), creatinine, lactate, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured on admission to ICU and during the postoperative period. The patients were categorized into high (group H) and low (group L) groups according to their peak PCT levels. Aorta cross-clamp (ACC), CPB time, ICU stay, mechanical ventilation period, peak AST/ALT, creatinine, lactate, and CRP levels were compared.

Results

ACC and CPB times, ICU stay period, and mechanical ventilation period were significantly longer in group H compared with group L (118.7 ± 51.6 vs. 49.4 ± 43.5 min, 244.5 ± 65.7 vs. 122.9 ± 63.0 min, 7.9 ± 4.6 vs. 4.0 ± 4.5 days, and 6.3 ± 4.1 vs. 2.9 ± 4.2 days, respectively; p < 0.01). Peak AST and creatinine were significantly higher in group H compared with group L (999.0 ± 1,990.3 vs. 88.3 ± 43.0 U/l and 0.84 ± 0.77 vs. 0.41 ± 0.17 mg/dl, respectively; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

ACC and CPB time-related perioperative stress is associated with elevated PCT; an association between ICU stay and mechanical ventilation period, liver enzymes, and creatinine levels was observed. PCT may be a good predictor of postoperative severity and organ dysfunction.

Procalcitonin: a useful biomarker to discriminate infection after cardiopulmonary bypass in children

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether procalcitonin discriminates between postcardiopulmonary bypass inflammatory syndrome and infectious complication in children better than does C-reactive protein.

DESIGN

Prospective study of children admitted to the intensive care unit after cardiopulmonary bypass.

PATIENTS

Classified according to a diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and bacterial infection or systemic inflammatory response syndrome but no bacterial infection. Two hundred thirty-one cases were recruited.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

Procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and leukocyte count were measured daily from surgery until day 3. Twenty-two patients were infected (9.5%). Significant differences were detected in the procalcitonin values of the infected group vs. the noninfected group, especially at day 2 (p = .000). There were no differences in the C-reactive protein values. The optimal cutoff for procalcitonin was >2 ng/mL at day 1 and above 4 ng/mL at the day 2. There was a greater sensitivity and specificity than with C-reactive protein as an infection predictor.

CONCLUSION

Procalcitonin is useful in the diagnosis of bacterial infection after cardiopulmonary bypass. Because procalcitonin kinetics are different in postcardiopulmonary bypass patients, the cutoff to diagnose infection should be different from the normal cutoff.

Procalcitonin level as an aid for the diagnosis of bacterial infections following pediatric cardiac surgery

PURPOSE

The aim of the present study was to determine if blood procalcitonin can serve as an aid to differentiate between bacterial and nonbacterial cause of fever in children after cardiac surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A nested case-control study of children who underwent open cardiac surgery in critical care units of fourth-level pediatric hospital was performed. Blood samples for procalcitonin level were collected 1 day before operation; 1 hour postoperation; on postoperative days 1, 2, and 5; and on the day of fever, when it occurred.

RESULTS

Of 665 children who underwent cardiac bypass surgery, 126 had a febrile episode postoperatively, 47 children with a proven bacterial infection and 79 without bacterial infection. Among the 68 children in whom fever developed within the first 5 postoperative days, procalcitonin level at fever day was significantly higher in those with bacterial infection (n = 16) than in those without infection (n = 52). Similarly, among the 58 children in whom fever developed after day 5 postoperation, a significant difference was found in procalcitonin level at fever day between those with (n = 31) and without (n = 27) bacterial infection.

CONCLUSION

During the critical early and late periods after cardiac surgery in children, procalcitonin level may help to differentiate patients with bacterial infection from patients in whom the fever is secondary to nonbacterial infectious causes.

Procalcitonin in acute cardiac patients

Procalcitonin (PCT) levels are below the detection level in healthy subjects, while pre-procalcitonin mRNA is over expressed in human medullar thyroid carcinoma, in small cell lung tumor, and occasionally in other rare neuroendocrine tumors such as phaeochromocytoma. PCT is known as a sensitive and specific biomarker for bacterial sepsis, being produced by extra-thyroidal parenchymal tissues, mainly hepatocytes. The increase in plasma level correlates with the severity of infection and the magnitude and the time course of its increase can be strictly related to the patient's outcome, and to the bacterial load. So far, data on serum PCT levels in patients with cardiogenic shock and in those with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are scarce and controversial. While some studies report that PCT levels are increased in ACS patients on admission, other investigations document that plasma PCT concentrations are in the normal range. We recently reported that the degree of myocardial ischemia (clinically indicated by the whole spectrum of ACS, from unstable angina to cardiogenic shock following ST-elevation myocardial infarction) and the related inflammatory-induced response are better reflected by C-reactive protein (which was positive in most acute cardiac care patients of all our subgroups) than by PCT, which seems more sensitive to a higher degree of inflammatory activation, being positive only in patients with cardiogenic shock. Few studies investigated the dynamics of PCT in cardiac acute patients, and, despite the paucity of data and differences in patients' selection criteria, an increase in PCT values seems to be associated with the development of complications. In acute cardiac patients, the clinical values of procalcitonin rely not on its absolute value, but only on its kinetics over time.

[Kinetics of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin after paediatric cardiac surgery]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The systemic inflammatory response syndrome developed after cardiac surgery impedes the detection of complications. The aim of our study was to examine the behaviour of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT), as well as to evaluate its relationship with severity and to analyse its usefulness in the identification of complications.

METHODS

A total of 59 children who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were prospectively studied. CRP and PCT were determined after surgery and at 24, 48 and 72 hours. The relationships between both parameters and the clinical severity were analysed (evaluated with PRISM and TISS scoring systems), as well as with the incidence of complications (infectious and haemodynamics).

RESULTS

Serum concentrations of CRP and PCT increased in the first 24 hours after surgery, with a gradual decrease over the following days. There was no association between CRP and severity or development of complications. A moderate correlation was observed between PCT after surgery, at 24 and 48 hours, and PRISM (r=0.548; 0.434 and 0.446) and a low correlation between PCT and TISS. When studying the identification of complications, we obtained cut-off values of PCT>0.17ng/ml (Ss 73.3%; Sp 72.2%) and PCT>1.98ng/ml (Ss 57.1%; Sp 87%) immediately and 48 hours after surgery. No differences were found in CPR and PCT levels among patients with infectious and haemodynamics complications.

CONCLUSIONS

CPR does not correlate with the severity or the incidence of complications after paediatric cardiac surgery. PCT correlates with clinical severity and may be able to detect post-surgical complications.

Kinetics of procalcitonin in cardiogenic shock and in septic shock. Preliminary data

BACKGROUND

In cardiac acute patients, data on procalcitonin (PCT) are controversial and the clinical interpretation of absolute PCT values represents a major challenge since they may be influenced by several factors. No data are so far available on the dynamics of PCT levels in patients with cardiogenic shock.

AIMS

to evaluate the serum evolution of PCT during intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) staying in a group of 24 patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) submitted to primary percutaneous intervention (PCI) with no laboratory or clinical sign of infection. Furthermore we assessed the kinetics of PCT in a series of 24 patients with septic shock.

RESULTS

In septic shock, no significant difference was detectable in PCT kinetics between survivors (R2 = 0.90; P = 0.051) and non-survivors (R2 = 0.63; P = 0.204). In cardiogenic shock, survivors exhibited a significant reduction in PCT values (R2 = 0.94; P = 0.032) while non survivors did not (R2 = 0.68; P = 0.178).

CONCLUSIONS

differently from septic shock, cardiogenic shock following STEMI was associated with heterogeneous patterns of temporal PCT variations since only patients who survived exhibited a significant PCT reduction during ICCU stay. Our findings support the contention that the 'dynamic' approach may be more reliable that the static one especially in cardiogenic shock.