OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein (PSP/reg) in severity evaluation and prognosis prediction for children with sepsis.

METHODSIn this prospective case-control study, 159 children with sepsis (106 cases in the sepsis group; 53 cases in the severe sepsis group, including 12 cases of septic shock) and 20 children without sepsis (control group) were enrolled. ELISA was applied to measure plasma PSP/reg levels on days 1, 3, and 7 of admission to the PICU. The Spearman rank correlation test was applied to assess the correlations between plasma PSP/reg level and serum procalcitonin (PCT), CRP, WBC count, and pediatric critical illness score (PCIS). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the value of each index in determining severity and predicting prognosis for children with sepsis.

RESULTSOn day 1 of admission to the PICU, plasma PSP/reg levels in the sepsis and severe sepsis groups were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05), and the severe sepsis group had a significantly higher plasma PSP/reg level than the sepsis group (P<0.05). On day 1 of admission to the PICU, the survival group (n=132) had a significantly lower plasma PSP/reg level than the non-survival group (n=27) (P<0.05). On day 1 of admission to the PICU, plasma PSP/reg level in children with sepsis was positively correlated with WBC count and serum PCT level (rs=0.212 and 0.548, respectively; both P<0.05), and negatively correlated with PCIS score (rs=-0.373; P<0.05). The AUCs of plasma PSP/reg level and serum PCT for determination of severe sepsis, septic shock, and death were higher than 0.7 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPSP/reg is closely related to infection, and has a certain clinical value in risk stratification of sepsis and prognosis evaluation.