Prognostic Value of Serum Procalcitonin level for the Diagnosis of Bacterial Infections in Critically-ill Patients

BACKGROUNDProcalcitonin (PCT) is a diagnostic biomarker for bacterial infections in critically-ill patients. However, the cut-off value of PCT for the diagnosis of bacterial infections is unclear and unreliable. This study aimed to determine the optimal cut-off value of PCT for the diagnosis of bacterial infections in critically-ill patients. MATERIALS AND METHODSWe conducted a retrospective study involving 311 adult patients who had been admitted to the medical or surgical intensive care unit for more than 24 hours from 2013 to 2015. At least one blood test for PCT level was performed for all patients within the first 24 hours of suspecting an infection. RESULTSOne hundred and fifty-seven patients had bacterial infections, while 154 did not. Patients with bacterial infections had a significantly higher median PCT level than those without bacterial infections (1.90 ng/mL vs. 0.16 ng/mL, P