title: Serum procalcitonine levels as an early diagnostic indicator of sepsis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prompt and accurate diagnosis of sepsis is of high importance for clinicians. Procalcitonine (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been proposed as markers for this purpose. Our aim was to evaluate the levels of PCT and CRP in early sepsis and its correlation with severity of sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of PCT and CRP were taken from 60 patients with sepsis criteria and 39 patients with SIRS symptoms from the University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa" in Tirana, Albania during 2010-2012. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for PCT and CRP were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCT and CRP levels increased in parallel with the severity of the clinical conditions of the patients. The mean PCT level in patients with sepsis was 11.28 ng/ml versus 0.272 ng/ml in patients with SIRS symptoms, with a sensitivity of 97.4% and a specificity of 96.6% for PCT >0.5ng/ml. The mean CRP level in septic patients was 146.58 mg/l vs. 34.4 mg/l in patients with SIRS, with a sensitivity of 98.6% for sepsis and a specificity of 75 % for CRP >11mg/l.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCT and CRP values are useful markers to determine early diagnosis and severity of an infection. In the present study, PCT was found to be a more accurate diagnostic parameter for differentiating SIRS from sepsis and may be helpful in the follow-up of critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Center "Mother Theresa", Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Anila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beqja-Lika
authors.forename: Anyla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bulo-Kasneci
authors.forename: Etleva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Refatllari
authors.forename: Nevila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heta-Alliu
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rucaj-Barbullushi
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mone
authors.forename: Anila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitre
keywords: Albania; C-reactive protein; procalcitonine; sepsis.