Diagnostic and prognostic value of procalcitonin in patients with septic shock

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Abstract
To determine whether procalcitonin is a reliable diagnostic and prognostic marker in septic shock compared with nonseptic shock. Prospective controlled trial. Intensive care unit of the Avicenne Teaching Hospital, Bobigny, France. All patients admitted to our intensive care unit over a 12-month period with clinical evidence of shock. None. Echocardiography or pulmonary artery flotation catheter measurements were used to assess hemodynamics, and multiple specimens were obtained for micro-biological studies. Standard criteria were used to diagnose septic shock. Serum concentrations of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and lactate were determined on the day of shock onset (day 1) and on days 3, 7, and 10. Seventy-five patients were included, 62 in the septic shock group and 13 in the cardiogenic shock group. Serum procalcitonin on day 1 was significantly higher in patients with than without septic shock (median, 14 [0.3–767] ng/mL vs. 1 [0.5–36] ng/mL, p p These data indicate that procalcitonin may be a valuable early diagnostic and prognostic marker in patients with septic shock.