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. 1999;3(1):45-50.
doi: 10.1186/cc306.

Comparison of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma concentrations at different SOFA scores during the course of sepsis and MODS

M Meisner  1 , K Tschaikowsky, T Palmaers, J Schmidt
Affiliations

Comparison of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma concentrations at different SOFA scores during the course of sepsis and MODS

M Meisner et al. Crit Care. 1999.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The relation of procalcitonin (PCT) plasma concentrations compared with C-reactive protein (CRP) was analyzed in patients with different severity of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and systemic inflammation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PCT, CRP, the sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, the Acute Physiology, Age, Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and survival were evaluated in 40 patients with systemic inflammation and consecutive MODS over a period of 15 days. RESULTS: Higher SOFA score levels were associated with significantly higher PCT plasma concentrations (SOFA 7-12: PCT 2.62 ng/ml, SOFA 19-24: PCT 15.22 ng/ml) (median), whereas CRP was elevated irrespective of the scores observed (SOFT 7-12: CRP 131 mg/l, SOFT 19-24: CRP 135 mg/l). PCT of non-surviving patients was initially not different from that of survivors but significantly increased after the fourth day following onset of the disease, whereas CRP was not different between both groups throughout the whole observation period. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of PCT concentrations during multiple organ dysfunction syndrome provides more information about the severity and the course of the disease than that of CRP. Regarding the strong association of PCT and the respective score systems in future studies we recommend evaluation also of the severity of inflammation and MODS when PCT concentrations were compared between different types of disease.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Procalcitonin (PCT) plasma concentrations of patients within four categories of the sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Indicated are median (●), 25/75 percentiles (box) and 10/90 percentiles (whisker) of PCT observations (n) obtained from 40 patients during a 15-day observation period. *P <0.05 compared with the preceding category (Mann-Whitney U-test).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Plasma concentrations of the corresponding C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations of patients within four categories of the sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA)Figure 4 score. Indicated are median (●), 25/75 percentiles (box) and 10/90 percentiles (whisker) of CRP concentrations (n) obtained from 40 patients during a 15-day observation period. *P <0.05 compared with the preceding category (Mann-Whitney U-test).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Course of procalcitonin (PCT) plasma concentrations in 40 patients during 15 days after onset of sepsis or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Indicated are median and 25/75 percentiles (whiskers) of PCT concentrations of 14 patients with a lethal outcome. (●, solid line) during a 28-day observation period due to the underlying disease, and of 26 patients who survived (○, dashed line).
Figure 4
Figure 4
The course of C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma concentrations in 40 patients during 15 days after onset of sepsis or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Indicated are median and 25/75 percentiles (whiskers) of CRP concentrations of 14 patients with a lethal outcome (●, solid line) during a 28-day observation period due to the underlying disease, and of 26 patients who survived (○, dashed line).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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