Prognostic utility of the semi-quantitative procalcitonin test, neutrophil count and C-reactive protein in meningococcal infection in children

Abstract

semi-quantitative procalcitonin levels under 10 ng/ml predict good outcome of children with meningococcal infection. It is a highly sensitive method to identify patients with an increased risk of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome or death.

Procalcitonin assay in systemic inflammation, infection, and sepsis: Clinical utility and limitations

“…ProCT correlated with APACHE III on all days and with SAPS II on day one (109). In children with severe infections, serum ProCT correlated with Pediatric Risk of Mortality scores (133), and a correlation was noted between ProCT and severity of illness scoring in trauma patients (137). In another study of sepsis, although there was a correlation between serum ProCT and APACHE II, this latter score was a better overall predictor of mortality than was serum ProCT (21).…”

“…Among sick infants and children, the evaluation of ProCT studies has also been a topic of interest (28, 124,133). In a study of 80 children (ranging in age from 1 month to 16 yrs) who were admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit for the suspicion of sepsis (133), there was a wide range of the admission serum ProCT levels (ranging from 1 to 722 ng/mL).…”

“…In a study of 80 children (ranging in age from 1 month to 16 yrs) who were admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit for the suspicion of sepsis (133), there was a wide range of the admission serum ProCT levels (ranging from 1 to 722 ng/mL). In comparison with CRP, ProCT levels had a greater prognostic value; they were higher in those with shock or multiple organ failure and correlated positively with the pediatric risk of mortality severity score and with the mortality per se.…”

“…Several groups have examined the relationship between serum ProCT and severity of illness scores, showing a moderate to fairly strong statistical correlation (21, 54, 88,89,104,109,110,133,136). In a study of 33 patients with severe sepsis, of whom 14 died, ProCT, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE III) scores, and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II) were determined on the first 3 days after admission.…”

The use of rapid diagnostic test of Procalcitonin serum levels for the postmortem diagnosis of sepsis

“…A number of studies use a threshold of 5 ng/ml for the diagnosis of severe sepsis [4]. PCT concentrations exceeding 10 ng/ml are usually associated with severe sepsis and septic shock [22,24].…”