Plasma procalcitonin concentration in healthy calves and those with septic systemic inflammatory response syndrome

Abstract

The diagnosis of sepsis in calves is challenging. Blood culture and clinical signs combined with a complete blood count have been used for the diagnosis of sepsis. Recent literature in humans and animal species has been focused on sepsis-specific biomarkers, such as procalcitonin (PCT), that may more accurately and efficiently diagnose sepsis. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma PCT concentrations in healthy and septic calves. Twenty healthy control calves and 58 sick calves with septic systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) based on SIRS score and clinical findings were included. Calves with septic SIRS were further divided in septic SIRS survivors (SSS) and non-survivors (SSNS). Plasma PCT concentrations were measured with a commercial ELISA assay for cattle. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine cut-off values and corresponding sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of sepsis. Differences in plasma PCT concentration between groups (control vs. SSS vs. SSNS) were evaluated. Plasma PCT concentrations in healthy calves and those with septic SIRS were 33.3pg/mL (0-44.3pg/mL) and 166.5pg/mL (85.9-233.0pg/mL), respectively (P<0.001). The optimal cut-off value to predict septic SIRS was 67.39pg/mL (81.0% sensitivity, 95.0% specificity). Plasma PCT concentrations were 127.4pg/mL (72.2-216.0pg/mL) and 234.3pg/mL (204.5-309.4pg/mL) in the SSS and SSNS subgroups, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found among groups (control vs. SSS and SSNS, P<0.0001; SSS vs. SSNS, P>0.05). These results confirmed an increase in plasma PCT concentrations in calves with septic SIRS, as previously reported in humans and other species.

Neopterin, procalcitonin, clinical biochemistry, and hematology in calves with neonatal sepsis

“…This may be because of impaired intestinal and liver functions due to sepsis. Different studies have reported increased serum procalcitonin concentrations in people, dogs, horses, and calves with sepsis (Yilmaz et al 2008 ; Riedel, 2012 ; Rieger et al 2014 ; Ercan et al 2016 ; Bonelli et al 2018 ; Kirbas et al 2019 ). Köse et al ( 2013 ) found quite higher concentrations of procalcitonin in a group with sepsis compared to those without sepsis.…”

“…Symptoms of sepsis are decreased interest in environment, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Some of the other clinical findings of sepsis are poor sucking reflex, depression, lethargy, low body temperature, changes in respiratory rate, changes in capillary refill time (CRT), and dehydration (House et al 2015;Bonelli et al 2018). Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis criteria in neonatal calves are rectal temperature [(°C) > 39.5, < 37], heart rate [(pulse/min) > 160, < 100], respiratory rate [(min) > 45], SpO2 [(%) < 90], mean blood pressure [(mmHg) < 65], total leukocyte [(× 10 3 /µL) > 12,000, < 4000] (Fecteau et al 1997(Fecteau et al , 2009Sen and Constable, 2013;Yıldız et al 2018;Beydilli and Gökçe, 2019).…”

Improving clinical outcomes via responsible antimicrobial use in horses

“…Clinical studies of the relevance of PCT as a sepsis predictor in veterinary patients are few, which is likely due to limited validated assays. PCT has been shown to be elevated in foals and calves with SIRS (Bonelli et al 2015(Bonelli et al , 2018 as well as in dogs with sepsis (Goggs et al 2018). PCT has also similarly been used in conjunction with other clinicopathologic results as an indicator of intestinal ischaemia to identify horses with a strangulating lesion, necessitating surgery (Kilcoyne et al 2020).…”

The use of inflammatory markers as a diagnostic and prognostic approach in neonatal calves with septicaemia

“…Ercan et al (2014) have stated that PCT concentrations in healthy neonatal calves were decreased compared to healthy young and adult cattle but PCT concentrations were not different in healthy young and adult cattle. Bonelli et al (2018) have found that the average PCT concentrations in calves with septic systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) were 166.5 pg/ml. Ercan et al (2016) have reported that PCT concentrations in calves with septicaemic colibacillosis are approximately 4-fold higher than in healthy controls, and that septicaemic colibacillosis in neonatal calves may be a beneficial biomarker.…”