Evaluation of usefulness of quantitative estimation of Procalcitonin in diagnosis of bacterial sepsis

Dr. Vijay Narayan Kulkarni; Dr. Shilpa Dayanand Putta; Dr. Manisha Vijay Kulkarni

Volume : V, Issue : III, March - 2016

Evaluation of usefulness of quantitative estimation of Procalcitonin in diagnosis of bacterial sepsis

Dr. Vijay Narayan Kulkarni, Dr. Shilpa Dayanand Putta, Dr. Manisha Vijay Kulkarni

Abstract :

 Introduction: Sepsis is one of the leading cause of mortality in majority of hospitals. Procalcitonin (PCT) has recently become choice of interest as a possible marker of the systemic inflammatory response to infection or sepsis estimation. As procalcitonin concentrations have been shown to be elevated in such patients. Aim: Current study was aimed to evaluate usefulness of quantitative estimation procalcitonin (PCT) in early detection of sepsis or septicemia cases. Results: Total 454 patients were included in the study for procalcitonin level estimation. PCT levels >0.5 ng/ml were calculated in 87.22% patients. On analysis of results sensitivity and specificity of the PCT test was found to be 88.10% and 34.15 % respectively. PCT test had Positive predictive value of 40.66%. Though PCT test had low positive predictive value , it has a good Negative predictive value i.e. 84.85 %. Conclusion: PCT test is a excellent predictor of diagnosis as well as prognosis in assessment of sepsis or systemic inflammatory response to infection. It should be used as an adjunt to the conventional diagnostic test to evaluate and early on effective management of sepsis.