Procalcitonin Correlation with SEPSIS Severity in ICU Patients

Abstract

Abstract

High rates of morbidity and death are linked to sepsis, a potentially fatal illness. Procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker of bacterial infection, is increasingly used in sepsis management to evaluate disease severity and guide therapeutic decisions. In this work, we look at the relationship between procalcitonin levels, sepsis severity, and ICU patient survival rates. Over nine months, participants in this research were observed in the Intensive Care Unit of a Bangalore tertiary care teaching hospital as part of a prospective study design. All the necessary information was gathered, including demographics, medical history, and treatment trends. Upon admission to the intensive care unit, procalcitonin (PCT) levels were checked, and the severity of sepsis was determined using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. One hundred thirty-three patients made up the study's sample. Higher SOFA scores and death rates were strongly associated with elevated procalcitonin levels (p < 0.05). The death rate was 42.5% in patients whose PCT levels were high (>10 ng/mL), compared to 12.8% in patients whose levels were low (<2 ng/mL). Survivors demonstrated a trend of declining PCT levels during the treatment course, while non-survivors showed persistently elevated PCT levels. Procalcitonin serves as a reliable biomarker for assessing the severity of sepsis and predicting patient outcomes in ICU settings. Its incorporation into routine clinical practice could improve early diagnosis and stratification of sepsis severity, potentially aiding in timely interventions and improving survival outcomes.