Serial procalcitonin measurements showed promise for the prediction of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with pneumonia, according to a study reported by Healio.
Researchers measured 317 patients’ procalcitonin on days 1 through 4. The primary endpoint was a “composite adverse outcome” including ICU admission, bacteremia and all-cause mortality.
Twenty-five percent of patients met the primary endpoint, researchers reported. Sixteen had bacteremia, 65 were moved to ICUs and 16 died. Procalcitonin measurements ranged from less than 0.05 ng/mL to 313.4 ng/mL. McCluskey and colleagues reported higher levels of procalcitonin in patients who had bacteremia or had to be admitted to the ICU, but procalcitonin was not predictive of all-cause mortality.
