title: Serum procalcitonin at the time of admission to the ICU as a predictor of short-term mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This purpose of this study was to determine if serum procalcitonin (PCT) concentration at the time of admission to the ICU is a predictor of all-cause short-term mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted over a 16-month period with 86 consecutive critically ill patients. The semi-quantitative PCT-Q test was performed and APACHE II scores and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were determined within 24 h of admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCT-Q test value was a better predictor of all-cause short-term mortality than CRP value or APACHE II score. PCT > or = 10 ng/mL was highly and independently correlated with mortality. Use of PCT-Q > or = 10 ng/mL was superior to use of APACHE II > or = 25 or CRP > or = 10 mg/dL as a predictor of poor outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A PCT-Q value > or = 10 ng/mL obtained at the time of admission to the ICU is a strong predictor of short-term mortality.
authors.affiliation: ICU, General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, 111 Liu Hua Road, Yue Xiu District, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Fan-Su
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: You-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yun-Song
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Liu