Severe sepsis is associated with at least one acute organ dysfunction, hypoperfusion, or hypotension, Sepsis is defined as SIRS resulting from infection, whether of bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic origin. Both serum PCT and CR P values in cases with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were significantly higher from that of the cases with SIRS and no SIRS ( P 38° C) or hypothermia (90 beats/min), tachypnea (>20 breaths/min) or hyperventilation (PaCO2 12,000 cells/mm 3 or 10% immature neutrophils.

The diagnostic accuracy of PCT was higher (75%) with greater specificity (72%), sensitivity (76%), positive and negative predictive values (89% and 50%), positive likelihood ratio (2.75) as well as the smaller negative likelihood ratio (0.33).

Results: The clinical presentation of 75% cases revealed a range of systemic inflammatory responses (SIRS). Materials and Methods: PCT and CRP were simultaneously measured and compared in 73 medico-surgical ICU patients according to the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) criteria based study groups. Objectives: This study was undertaken to evaluate the utility of PCT in a resource constrained country like ours when compared to the traditional inflammatory markers like C - reactive protein (CRP) to introduce PCT as a routine biochemical tool in regional hospitals. Procalcitonin (PCT) an innovative laboratory marker, has been recently proven valuable worldwide in this regard. Background: Early diagnosis and appropriate therapy of sepsis is a daily challenge in intensive care units (ICUs) despite the advances in critical care medicine.

Count janos almazy