Predictive Comparisons of Procalcitonin (PCT) Level, Arterial Ketone Body Ratio (AKBR), APACHE III Score and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (MODS) in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a newly introduced marker of systemic inflammation and bacterial infection. A marked increase in circulating PCT level in critically ill patients has been related with the severity of illness and poor survival. The goal of this study was to compare the prognostic power of PCT and three other parameters, the arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR), the acute physiology, age, chronic health evaluation (APACHE) III score and the multiple organ dysfunction score (MODS), in the differentiation between survivors and nonsurvivors of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The study was performed in 95 patients over 16 years of age who met the criteria of SIRS. PCT and AKBR were assayed in arterial blood samples. The APACHE III score and MODS were recorded after the first 24 hours of surgical ICU (SICU) admission and then daily for two weeks or until either discharge or death. The patients were divided into two groups, survivors (n=71) and nonsurvivors (n=24), in accordance with the ICU outcome. They were also divided into three groups according to the trend of PCT level: declining, increasing or no change. Significant differences between survivors and nonsurvivors were found in APACHE III score and MODS throughout the study period, but in PCT value only up to the 7th day and in AKBR only up to the 3rd day. PCT values of the three groups were not significantly different on the first day between survivors and nonsurvivors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for prediction of mortality by PCT, AKBR, APACHE III score and MODS were 0.690, 0.320, 0.915 and 0.913, respectively, on the admission day. In conclusion, PCT could have some use as a mortality predictor in SIRS patients but was less reliable than APACHE III score or MODS.

The Effects of Esmolol or Labetalol on Hemodynamic and Catecholamine Level in Endotracheal Intubation / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Sympathetic blocking agent, esmolol (selective beta 1 blocker) or labetalol ( alpha and beta blocker) would prevent the hypertension and tachycardia from endotracheal intubation. We have carried out the study to see the effects of esmolol or labetalol on the blood pressure, heart rate, rate pressure product and plasma catecolamines during the endotracheal intubation. METHODS: Thirty-three ASA physical status 1 or 2 adult patients were allocated into three groups; Group I:control (n=10), Group II:esmolol (n=11) and Group III: labetalol (n=12). In Group I, 2 ml of normal saline, in Group II, 1 mg/kg of esmolol, and in Group III, 0.2 mg/kg of labetalol were given 3, 2 and 4 minutes before endotracheal intubation. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured after arrival at the operating room, before endotracheal intubation and after endotracheal intubation at 15, 60, 120, 180 and 300 seconds interval under the inhalation anesthesia (enflurane-N2O-O2). Rate-pressure product was calculated from the heart rate and systolic blood pressure (RPP = heart rate x systolic blood pressure). The plasma cathecolamines, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine, were measured before intubation as a baseline value and 2 minute after intubation. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure, rate-pressure product and heart rate were significantly lower in esmolol and labetalol groups than in control group after intubation ( p 0.05). Plasma level of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine showed higher values after intubation in all three groups ( p0.05). The side effects of esmolol and labetalol did not appear at all. CONCLUSION: 1 mg/kg of esmolol given 2 min before intubation or 0.2 mg/kg of labetalol given 4 min before intubation reduce increasing of blood pressure and heart rate, caused by adnergic response following endotracheal intubation, significantly. The reason is that esmolol and labetalol do not decrease release of catecholamines but attenuate responses of elevated catecholamines following endotracheal intubation.