Vnitr̆ní lékar̆ství
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Vnitr̆ní lékar̆ství · Jul 2003
[Comparison of procalcitonin, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in the differential diagnosis of patients with sepsis syndrome in intensive care units].
One of the most difficult tasks in differential diagnosis of patients with septic syndrome at the Intensive Care Units is to differentiate between infection and non-infection etiology of this syndrome. In the last years, new parameters have played an important role in this area--C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6 and procalcitonin. ⋯ Calcitonin proved to be the most specific parameter in demonstrating infection etiology in patients with the septic syndrome, its predictive value being higher than that of C-reactive protein and Interleukin-6. Monitoring of calcitonin dynamism provides important information on efficiency of the applied antibiotic treatment. In patients with diagnostic uncertainties as far as the etiology of the septic syndrome is concerned; procalcitonin is the parameter of choice, while it may be supplemented with the examination of C-reactive protein.