title: Procalcitonin Biomarker Kinetics to Predict Multiorgan Dysfunction Syndrome in Children With Sepsis and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Procalcitonin (PCT) kinetics is a good prognosis marker in infectious diseases, but few studies of children sepsis have been performed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to examine kinetics of procalcitonin, to evaluate its relationship with severity and to analyze its usefulness in the prediction of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study in an 8-bed pediatric intensive care unit of a university hospital. Sixty-two children aged 0-19 years with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or septic states. The degree of severity was evaluated according pediatric logistic organ dysfunction (PELOD) score. Blood tests to determine levels of PCT were taken if the patients had the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis. The serum to determine levels of PCT in control group has been taken from patients undergoing elective surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher values of PCT were identified in patients with PELOD score 12 and more compared to those with PELOD < 12 (P = 0.016). Similarly, higher PCT values were found in patients who developed MODS in contrast to those without MODS (P = 0.011). According to ROC analysis cut-off value of 4.05 ng/mL was found to best discriminate patients with PELOD < 12 and PELOD ≥ 12 with AUC = 0.675 (P = 0.035). Effect of procalcitonin levels on mortality was not demonstrated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of procalcitonin from day 1 to day 5 are related to the severity and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zurek
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vavrina
keywords: Biological Markers; Child; Kinetics; Procalcitonin; Sepsis