La Tunisie médicale
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La Tunisie médicale · Apr 2006
Review[Procalcitonin as a prognosis and diagnosis aid in post-operative cardiac surgery].
Procalcitonin (PCT), has been identified as a reliable marker of bacterial infection in critically ill patients. After cardiac surgery, infectious and non infectious inflammatory processes can cause a significant increase in PCT production. ⋯ PCT levels < 2ng/ml can be observed after extracorporeal circulation in case of systemic inflammatory response, in the absente of any post operative complication. However, bacterial infection with organ dysfunction should be suspected when PCT levels are higher 5 ng/ml.