title: Procalcitonin in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in open heart surgery-first results of the Procalcitonin in Heart Surgery study (ProHearts).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in order to assess the prevalence and prognostic capacity of elevated PCT levels following CPB in open heart surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  prospective observational study in consecutive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four-bed ICU, department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred and twenty two patients, 691 of whom underwent CPB, i.e., 476 had coronary bypass surgery (CABG), 130 valve replacement, 34 combined CABG and valve replacement and 23 thoracic aortic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standard perfusion techniques were used with cardioplegic arrest and mild hypothermia (28-32 degrees C). With the exception of thoracic aortic procedures, full-flow perfusion was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCT was measured prior to surgery and daily thereafter until ICU discharge or death. PCT significantly increased at day 1 postoperatively compared to baseline values (0.25+/-1.65 vs 6.49+/-22.0 ng/ml, p<0.005). However, in 55.1% of patients PCT was below 1.0 ng/ml. In 12.8% of CABG patients PCT was increased to >5.0 ng/ml, compared to 39% in valve patients and 35% of patients with aortic surgery. An elevated PCT level >1.0-5.0 ng/ml at day 1 was highly predictive of mortality (P<0.03, vs<1.0 ng/ml), with an additional accuracy when levels >5.0 ng/ml were measured (P<0.002 vs<1.0 ng/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide evidence that PCT might serve as an early prognostic marker in patients undergoing CPB in open heart surgery. It may be worth considering immunomodulating approaches in patients presenting elevated PCT levels in the early phase after CPB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany. m.loebe@t-online.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loebe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Locziewski
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Brunkhorst
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hetzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide