ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Procalcitonin is released in response to bacterial infection and it is not released in Inflammatory and viral diseases. OBJECTIVE: To show the diagnostic efficacy and prognostic value of procalcitonin for sepsis. METHODS: A consecutive series of 103 patients with suspected sepsis were admitted to the intensive care unit over a 2-year period. During the first 24 hours of the admission procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and complement proteins were determined. The diagnostic efficacy was tested with predictive values, likelihood ratios, receiver operating characteristic curves, and multiple logistic regression. The association of procalcitonin with mortality was assessed by the Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Procalcitonin had a better positive likelihood ratio than C-reactive protein -2.2 (95% confidence interval: 1.3-3.7) versus 1.1 (95% confidence interval: 0.9-1.2). Sequential Organ Failure Assessment yielded the highest discriminative value, with an area under the curve of 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.73-0.92), followed by procalcitonin (0.81; 95% confidence interval: 0.72-0.89). Multivariate regression analysis showed procalcitonin (adjusted odds ratio: 3.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-11.8) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (adjusted odds ratio: 5.3; 95% confidence interval: 1.4-19.9) as the only variables independently associated with infection. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that procalcitonin was not independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin was higher than C-reactive protein and complement proteins. Procalcitonin in combination with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment was useful to diagnose infection. C-reactive protein, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, age, and gender showed to be helpful to improve the prediction of mortality risk, but not procalcitonin.
Subject(s)
Calcitonin/blood , Critical Care , Protein Precursors/blood , Sepsis/blood , Sepsis/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Biomarkers/blood , C-Reactive Protein/metabolism , Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide , Complement System Proteins/metabolism , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Reproducibility of Results , Sepsis/therapy , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The gestational hypertension -HG- and preeclampsia -P- are hypertensive diseases whose pathogenic mechanism has not been determined yet. The aim of this work is to define some patterns of vasoactive factors release that allow to explain the origin of the differences between both entities. DESIGN: Prospective case-control study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two groups of target patients were consecutively selected, GH (n=21) and P patients (n=21). Every patient was matched with a pregnant of similar age and week of pregnancy. Two control groups were obtained, one respect to the GH and another one respect to the P group. A biochemistry, blood cell count, coagulation and quantification of vasoactive factors endothelin, nitrites and GMPc were performed in every woman. Results of GH and P groups were compared with their respective control group with the paired Student's t Test. RESULTS: Both systolic and diastolic arterial pressures were higher in hypertensive pregnants (GH and P) than in their respective controls. Moreover, blood endothelin and GMPc were higher in GH and P. GH pregnants showed decreased norepinephrine and increased epinephrine urinary excretion , as well as an increased plasma nitrites concentration than control group. P patients did not show statistically significant differences in catecholamines urinary excretion nor in plasma nitrites concentration respect their control group. CONCLUSION: There are relevant differences in the synthesis patterns of vasoactive factors between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. These differences could account for a decreased tissue perfusion in preeclampsia and could also contribute to the genesis of the renal dysfunction of this entity.
Subject(s)
Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced/physiopathology , Pre-Eclampsia/physiopathology , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Catecholamines/urine , Cyclic GMP/blood , Endothelins/blood , Female , Humans , Nitrites/blood , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Renal Insufficiency/etiologyABSTRACT
ObjetivoDemostrar que los pacientes con dolor torácico que tienen elevada la troponina I en las primeras 12 horas se mueren más o sufren más complicaciones al cabo de nueve meses. Secundario: valorar la eficacia diagnóstica de la cTnI en el infarto de miocardio. Diseño Entre junio y agosto del 2003 se determinó cTnI, CK, CKMB, ECG a pacientes que acudieron al servicio de urgencias del hospital con sospecha de infarto (diseño transversal). También se observó la aparición de complicaciones (muerte por causa cardiovascular; angina, insuficiencia cardiaca y la aparición de reinfarto) durante los nueve meses siguientes (diseño observacional hacia delante). Participantes 167 pacientes que acudieron de forma consecutiva al servicio de urgencias del hospital con dolor torácico sospechoso de infarto. Resultados Se ha encontrado asociación entre los marcadores y las complicaciones con un riesgo relativo de 1,9(1,02-3,56) para un punto de corte de Troponina I =0,6 ng/ml, no encontrándose para los respectivos puntos de corte de la CK y CKMB. La Troponina I presentó una sensibilidad = 0,95 (0,55-0,99), siendo superior a la encontrada con los otros marcadores, con un valor predictivo negativo de 0,96 (0,83-0,98) y un cociente de probabilidad negativo de 0,08 (0,06-0,30). En cambio, la especificidad de la Troponina fuede 0,72 (0,48-0,72), menor que para la CK y CKMB. Conclusiones La troponina I es un buen predictor de las complicaciones (y no la CK y CKMB) y posee elevada eficacia para descartar un infarto, destacando una elevada sensibilidad, valor predictivo y cociente de probabilidad negativos
Objective Our main objective was to know if high Troponin I concentration during the first 12 hours in patients with chest pain has an increased risk over the 9 months post-acute myocardial infarction complications and, additionally to show the diagnostic efficacy of serum Troponin I measurement on chest pain patients. Design The diagnostic efficacy was evaluated by a cross sectional design and the incidence of complications (cardiovascular death, angina pectoris, cadiac insufficiency and re-infarct)over the next 9 months by a forward observational design. Serum Troponin, CKand CKMB were measured in a Dimension RXL(Dade). Participants 167 consecutive patients with chest pain attending to the Emergency Room of our Hospital over June, July and August in 2003. Results It was found assotiation between serum Troponin I and complications. The Troponin (cut off: 0.6ng/ml) relative risk was 1.9 (1.02-3.56) but it was found no association for the usual CK and CKMB cut-offs. The sensitivity of Troponin I was 0.95(0.55-0.99), higher than the sensitivity of the other markers. The Troponin negative predictive value was 0.96 (0.83-0.98) and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.08 (0.06-0.30). By contrast, the Troponin specificity was 0.72 (0.48-0.72), less than that of CK and CKMB. Conclusions Troponin I results show that this marker is a good predictor of complications, as a statistically significant association with the 9 months post infarct outcomes was found, and not CK and CKMB. Additionally, serum Troponin measurement shows a high efficacy to rule out a myocardial infarct, emphasizing a high sensitivity and negative predictive value
