Practical Application of Semiquantitative Procalcitonin Test in Emergency Department.
- Author:
Sung Wook KIM
1
;
Young Min OH
;
Se Min CHOE
;
Gyeong Ho CHOE
;
Kyu Nam PARK
;
Joo Suk OH
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. holiday1@hanafos.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Procalcitonin;
Emergency medicine;
Reagent strips
- MeSH:
Bacteremia;
Calcitonin;
Communicable Diseases;
Consensus;
Critical Care;
Emergencies;
Emergency Medicine;
Humans;
Prognosis;
Protein Precursors;
Reagent Strips;
ROC Curve;
Sepsis;
Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome;
Thorax
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2008;19(6):665-671
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a good marker of infection but is still not routinely used. Here, we assessed the usefulness of a semi-quantitative procalcitonin test kit (PCT-Q(R)), a rapid and simple test for evaluating sepsis in the emergency department. METHODS: We recruited 80 patients who visited the emergency center and with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Patients were classified into 4 groups according to PCT levels using PCT-Q[Ed-Trademark signs only have to be given one time in a document]. Mortality rate, bacteremia, severity score, and severity of sepsis (SIRS/sepsis/severe sepsis/septic shock) were assessed with the criteria of the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference. We calculated a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), cut-off value, and the related diagnostic parameters of each cut-off value. RESULTS: Higher PCT levels were significantly associated with increased mortality, bacteremia, and severity scores. PCT levels could discriminate between sepsis and severe sepsis at a threshold of 2 ng/ml. CONCLUSION: PCT-Q is a prognostic marker of infectious disease, but low levels do not always indicate a good prognosis. PCT levels increase with aggravation of sepsis, especially at values greater than 2 ng/ml for severe sepsis.
