Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein versus blood cultures in the diagnosis of sepsis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33936/qkrcs.v7i3.6386Keywords:
sepsis, blood culture, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, Intensive Care Unit.Abstract
Sepsis is a highly fatal, preventable condition that leads to organ
dysfunction. Blood cultures are an essential tool when sepsis is suspected;
however, their limitations encourage using other markers to identify
infected patients and determine severity. This study analysed procalcitonin
and C-reactive protein versus blood cultures in the diagnosis of sepsis
in the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital General Portoviejo during the period November 2022-May 2023. The research was observational, descriptive, retrospective, and cross-sectional. An anonymised database consisting of demographic and analytical variables was analysed. The sample (n = 108) was predominantly female, the mean age was 65 ± 18 years and negative blood cultures prevailed. Patients with positive blood cultures (n = 25) most frequently had isolates of Escherichia coli associated with urinary focus and Staphylococcus aureus of unspecified origin. In sepsis of undetermined and urinary origin the mean values of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were higher in the blood culture positive group, in contrast to the total leucocyte count which was higher in the negative group. In the comparison of the concentrations of these three markers between groups, statistically significant differences were observed for procalcitonin and C-reactive protein.
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