The Relationship Between Sepsis Foci and Procalcitonin Values in Intensive Care Patients

Abstract

Background: Anatomic localizations of septic foci and the relationship between these localizations andprocalcitonin (PCT) in the clinical picture of sepsis/septic shock induced by these foci is not a sufficientlyinvestigated topic. We aimed to determine the relationship between sepsis foci and procalcitonin values inintensive care patients.Methods: Data of the patients who were admitted in the intensive care unit and diagnosed with sepsis/septic shock between 2016 and 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were grouped based onthe localization of the infectious foci as respiratory system, urinary system, blood-catheter, soft tissue andabdominal. Additionally, the patients were grouped also based on number of foci and growing microorganisms.Subsequently, the relationship between septic foci and routine laboratory parameters, primarily PCT, wasinvestigated statistically.Results: Totally 630 infection periods were analyzed in 424 patients who were diagnosed with sepsis/septicshock in the intensive care unit. Incidence of sepsis/septic shock was 36.5% while mortality rate was 65.6% inthese patients. A higher mortality rate was encountered in the infections with two or multiple foci (p