Girish M1, Maniyar Vijaykumar2, Raghava Sharma3, Francis N. P. Monteiro4, Gautham N5, Vandana Pillai
BACKGROUND
Sepsis refers to the systemic response to serious infection. It can be response to the infection caused by any class of microorganism. The presence of bacteraemia is an indicator of disseminated infection and generally indicates a poorer prognosis when associated with localised disease. This study was undertaken to study the diagnostic and prognostic value of Procalcitonin (PCT) in patients with sepsis.
AIM
To study the diagnostic and prognostic value of Procalcitonin (PCT) in patients with sepsis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty patients of age more than 18 years with sepsis admitted in KMC Hospitals, Mangalore, from August 2008 to June 2010 were subjects in the study after due permission from institution and informed consent from the patients. Diagnosis of sepsis was made according to criteria by ACCP/SCCM definition for sepsis. Definitive aetiological diagnosis requires isolation of microorganism from the blood and local site of infection, Gram stain and culture of the material from the primary site of infection for the microbial aetiology was taken. Other appropriate laboratory investigations depending upon requirement were done as mentioned in the investigations.
RESULTS
Out of total 50 patients, 23 patients were in group of sepsis, 14 were in group of severe sepsis while 13 had septic shock. Maximum number of the study patients were in the age group of 51-60 years. 52% of the study patients were male and 48% were female. Most common symptom in patients with sepsis was fever. Most common sign in the patient with sepsis is tachycardia followed by high temperature and then tachypnoea. Most common source of sepsis was respiratory infection followed by UTI.
CONCLUSION
Our data suggest the possibility that the addition of Procalcitonin into the standard workup of critically ill patients with suspected sepsis could increase diagnostic certainty and improve patient management.
