PCT kinetics in the first week postburn for sepsis diagnosis and death prognosis: an accuracy study

Abstract

Despite continuous advances in burn care, sepsis is still the main cause of death in burn patients. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been reported as an accurate sepsis biomarker and also as a fair predictor of death. The aim of this study was to assess PCT kinetics in the first week postburn regarding sepsis diagnosis and death prognosis. Sample included 142 patients with ≥15% TBSA, admitted from January 2011 to December 2014 at Coimbra Burns Unit, Portugal. Sepsis diagnosis was done according to American Burn Association criteria. PCT range and median values in the first 7 days after burns were statistically analyzed for its potential for sepsis diagnosis and death prognosis. A subanalysis was done regarding TBSA, sex, age, and inhalation injury. First week PCT range and median were significant for sepsis diagnosis and death prognosis, but the median area under the curve was greater in the last case. TBSA influenced PCT accuracy, which was greater for TBSA less than 40% either for diagnosis or prognosis. Age was inversely related to the accuracy, being better in younger than 40 years in both cases. PCT diagnostic accuracy was not affected by sex, opposing to the prognostic one which is better in women. Inhalation injury had no effect on diagnostic accuracy, but it happens with prognostic accuracy. PCT levels' variation is related to sepsis evolution and outcome. Its median performs better than its range. Always coupled with clinical examination, monitoring PCT levels kinetics may help early sepsis detection, potentially reducing morbidity and mortality, being also useful for death prognosis.