Intensive care medicine
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To assess the accuracy of procalcitonin as a measure of severity in patients with septic abdominal illnesses and the sepsis syndrome, to compare measurements with those of other inflammatory mediators, and to predict outcome. ⋯ Procalcitonin is a new indicator of infection and sepsis. TNF and IL-6 concentrations always rise after major operations and fall in the absence of infection, indicating operative trauma. Procalcitonin is sensitive in detecting infective complications. Under routine conditions the procalcitonin concentrations seems to be valid, reproducible and detectable.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2000
Procalcitonin in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in open heart surgery-first results of the Procalcitonin in Heart Surgery study (ProHearts).
To investigate procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in order to assess the prevalence and prognostic capacity of elevated PCT levels following CPB in open heart surgery. ⋯ These results provide evidence that PCT might serve as an early prognostic marker in patients undergoing CPB in open heart surgery. It may be worth considering immunomodulating approaches in patients presenting elevated PCT levels in the early phase after CPB.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2000
The natural elimination rate of procalcitonin in patients with normal and impaired renal function.
Procalcitonin (PCT) plasma concentrations and its kinetic can be used as a diagnostic tool in critically ill patients and patients with sepsis. Since renal dysfunction is a frequent complication in these patients, and PCT is a protein with a low molecular weight, we have measured the half-life time of PCT after peak concentrations in patients with normal and impaired renal function. We also have analyzed the influence of patients age and gender on PCT elimination kinetics. ⋯ The data of the present study demonstrate that assessment of PCT kinetic can also be used for diagnostic and prognostic reasons in patients with renal dysfunction. It may, however, exceed 24 h also in patients with normal renal function. As to the present knowledge, renal secretion does not contribute as a main pathway to PCT elimination.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2000
Angiotensin II formation and endothelin clearance in ARDS patients in supine and prone positions.
In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the prone position may enhance oxygenation by changing ventilation/perfusion ratio. In this study, we investigated whether the prone position affects the net balance between pulmonary endothelin (ET-1) and angiotensin II (Ang II) production and clearance, two metabolic functions of lung endothelial cells. ⋯ Acute changes of oxygenation in ARDS patients by positioning do not induce any short-term effects on pulmonary ET-1 net clearance or Ang II net formation.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2000
Procalcitonin as a marker of nosocomial infections in the neonatal intensive care unit.
To determine accuracy of procalcitonin concentrations for diagnosing nosocomial infections in critically ill neonates. ⋯ Measurement of PCT concentrations may be useful for early diagnosis and monitoring of infectious complications in neonates during their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit.