title: Procalcitonin and Interleukin-6 Levels: Are They Useful Biomarkers in Cardiac Surgery Patients?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury is an independent predictor of chronic renal disease and mortality. The scope of this study was to determine the utility of procalcitonin (PCT) and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in predicting renal outcome and mortality in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCT and plasma IL-6 levels of 122 cardiac surgery patients were measured at 48 h after the surgical procedure. Primary endpoints were adverse renal outcome and mortality. Secondary endpoints were length of stay, bleeding, and number of transfusions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCT was found to be a better predictor of adverse renal outcome than IL-6. IL-6 seemed to be a better predictor of both 30-day and overall mortality than PCT. Neither PCT nor IL-6 levels were found to be good predictors of intensive care unit stay and bleeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCT may be considered a good predictor of adverse renal outcome in cardiac surgery patients, whereas IL-6 seems to possess a good predictive value for mortality in this population of patients.
authors.affiliation: IRRIV-International Renal Research Institute Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brocca
authors.forename: Grazia Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Virzì
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Cal
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giavarina
authors.forename: Mariarosa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: María-Jimena
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Muciño-Bermejo
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinna Danesi
authors.forename: Loris
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ronco
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002116:Calcitonin