title: Amalgamation of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and sequential organ failure scoring system in predicting sepsis survival.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical value of inflammatory biomarkers is still questionable.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to compare the clinical informative value of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma concentration in the early detection of sepsis, as well as relating these biomarkers to other scoring systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 138 patients were enrolled in our study. All were subjected to PCT, CRP, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores daily for 7 days (starting from admission day). Blood samples were collected before starting antibiotics, with 28 days follow-up and patients were assigned to three groups: Group I: SOFA 2-7, Group II: SOFA 8-10, and Group III: SOFA ≥11.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Underlying clinical diagnosis revealed pneumonia in 72 patients, urinary tract infections in eight, bloodstream infection in four, and other infections in 23, while infection could not be traced in 25 patients. The mean PCT was 3 ng/ml (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1-4), 12 ng/ml (95% CI: 9.1-14), and 19 ng/ml (95% CI: 16.3-22.3) in Groups I, II, and III, respectively, with a statistically significant difference in the mean PCT level among the three groups (P < 0.0001). On the other hand, CRP mean level did not significantly differentiate between the groups (147.1 mg/L in Group II, which was even higher than the level of Group III, 138.4 mg/L).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCT seems to do better than CRP in predicting the SOFA groups, giving its patronage display over a wide spectrum of insults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dahbi, UAE.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hegazy
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amr Salah
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samir
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moharram
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Shikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dahbi, UAE.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Radwan
keywords: Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score; C-reactive protein; procalcitonin; sepsis; sequential organ failure assessment