Procalcitonin is a valuable prognostic marker in cardiac surgery but not specific for infection

• Published in: The Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon Vol. 51; no. 6; p. 322
• Main Authors: Dörge, H, Schöndube, F A, Dörge, P, Seipelt, R, Voss, M, Messmer, B J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.12.2003
• Subjects: Aged; Biomarkers; Calcitonin - blood; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Cardiac Surgical Procedures; Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Female; Glycoproteins - blood; Humans; Male; Mediastinitis - blood; Multiple Organ Failure - blood; Pneumonia - blood; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Protein Precursors - blood; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sepsis - blood

The prognostic value of elevated serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT) in patients early after cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) remains unclear. In a prospective study, we investigated whether PCT is useful as a prognostic marker in cardiac surgery with respect to mortality, complicatio...