Hassan Mubarak, Bharath M. S
BACKGROUND Sepsis is reported to be the most common cause of death in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It is an increasingly common cause of mortality and morbidity particularly in elderly, immunocompromised and critically ill patients. Approximately, 25-35% of patients with severe sepsis and 40-55% of patients with septic shock die within 30 days. Aims and Objectives of the study- To diagnose sepsis in early stages by measuring serum procalcitonin and to correlate with diagnosis of sepsis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty patients of sepsis were included in the study and clinical assessment was made. Focus of infection was determined. Microbiological cultures of the focus of infection was asked for all the patients. Patients were classified into sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock based on ACCP/SCCM guidelines. Serum procalcitonin levels of all the patients at admission were determined. RESULTS 56% were females and 44% were males. 54% were in the group of sepsis; 34% were in the group of severe sepsis and 12% were in the group of septic shock. The Mortality rates were 3.7%, 23.5% and 66.7% respectively in the three groups of sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock respectively 68% of patients had positive serum procalcitonin value and 32% had negative serum procalcitonin value. 48%, 88% and 100% of patients in the groups of sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock respectively had positive procalcitonin level. CONCLUSION Serum procalcitonin was proven to be very good, cost effective biomarker for the early identification of sepsis better than cultures. It was in addition proven to be a simple prognostic marker when quantitatively estimated. This would warrant early initiation of effective treatment strategies. Thus, estimation of serum procalcitonin as a biomarker for identification and prognostication of sepsis should be practised.
