title: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) as a negative screening test for colonic ischemia after open abdominal aortic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed serum procalcitonin (PCT) as a screening test for early detection of ischemic colitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-three patients (81 men and 12 women) undergoing elective aortic surgery were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 70.3+/-8.1 years old. Serum procalcitonin was measured postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients suffered from colon ischemia. Based on a cut off value of serum PCT>/=2.0 ng/ml, fourteen patients had a false positive but none had a false negative result. Sensitivity was 100%, and specificity was 83.9% in detecting ischemic colitis. Negative predictive vale was 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum PCT is a non-invasive test that has a high negative predictive vale in ruling out colon ischemia after aortic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Shouwa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, #466-8550, Japan. bobnagata@aol.com
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishikimi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D017091:Colitis, Ischemic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide