SERUM PROCALCITONIN AS AN INDICATOR OF SEPSIS

Sepsis is an important cause of mortality in intensive care set up. Its early and definitive diagnosis is crucial for the treatment and thus for the survival of the patients. Specific and rapid markers of bacterial infection are hence of prime importance for the early diagnosis of sepsis .In this context Procalcitonin (PCT) has emerged as a potential marker of sepsis. AIMS This study was done to find out the etiology of sepsis and to evaluate the diagnostic value of PCT and its relationship with various stages of sepsis Study design This prospective study was done at our tertiary care hospital from September 2010 to September 2011. A total of 100 patients were included in this study. Study population included all patients above 20 years of age admitted in ICU with a diagnosis of sepsis. They are further categorized in to three groups - sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock based on standardized criteria. Materials and Methods PCT and various relevant factors were measured and were compared among three categorized groups of patients with sepsis. The statistical analysis was done using studentt test. Results Respiratory tract infection was the common source of sepsis followed by urosepsis.PCT was found to be an excellent indicator of sepsis. There was significant association between PCT and SOFA score (Sepsis related organ failure assessment) (P0.05). The mortality was around 22 and these patients had high PCT and SOFA score. With adequate antibiotic therapy the level of PCT reduced significantly, however in severe sepsis and septic shock the rate of improvement was slow. Conclusions PCT shares remarkable promise as a marker of sepsis and can be used as a routine lab parameter. It was also found to be an accurate diagnostic parameter for differentiating various stages of sepsis, and predicting the outcome