Diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein and prealbumin for sepsis

Objective To investigate the effect and significance of serum procalcitonin (PCT), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and prealbumin (PA) detection in the diagnosis of sepsis. Methods Sixty-one patients with sepsis were selected as sepsis group and 61 patients with non-sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome were selected as non-sepsis group, 61 healthy subjects were selected as health group. The serum levels of PCT, CRP and PA in the three groups were measured at the 1st, 3rd, 5th day; and the value of levels of PCT, CRP and PA in diagnosis of sepsis was analyzed. Results At the first day, PCT, CRP and PA levels in sepsis group were (1.84±0.79)μg/L, (25.39±8.47)mg/L, (217.41±68.51)mg/L, respectively, and (1.28±0.46)μg/L, (17.49±6.14)mg/L, (236.37±58.92)mg/L in non-sepsis group, (0.34±0.29)μg/L, (4.72±2.31)mg/L, (304.28±61.83)mg/L in health group; at the third day, PCT, CRP and PA levels in sepsis group were (2.31±1.95)μg/L, (34.61±9.57)mg/L, (173.28±46.19)mg/L, which were (1.43±0.57)μg/L, (21.38±7.59)mg/L, (224.17±51.74)mg/L in non-sepsis group, (0.32±0.30)μg/L, (4.69±2.27)mg/L, (302.35±62.37)mg/L in health group; at the fifth day, PCT, CRP and PA levels in sepsis group were (5.47±2.48)μg/L, (62.83±11.39)mg/L, (125.81±32.45)mg/L, which were (2.09±0.46)μg/L, (26.49±6.14)mg/L, (193.54±49.47)mg/L in non-sepsis group, and (0.34±0.28)g/L, (4.75±2.33)mg/L, (303.83±62.52)mg/L in health group. At the first day, the differences in the three indexes between sepsis and non-sepsis group were not statistically significant (P>0.05), but differences were statistically significant between sepsis group and health group (P<0.05); at the third and fifth day, the differences in the three indexes between sepsis group and non-sepsis group, between sepsis group and health group were significant (all P<0.05); compared wtih PCT, CRP, PA single marker test method, the combination test had higher diagnostic value for sepsis, of which sensitivity was 85.2%, specificity was 90.4%, positive predictive value was 91.4% and negative predictive value was 87.3%. There were statistically significant differences in diagnostic efficacy between combination test method and the other single marker test methods (P<0.05). Conclusions The levels of serum PCT and CRP in patients with sepsis will increase significantly, and the level of PA will greatly decrease, and the combination test of three markers has the best diagnostic value. Key words: Sepsis; Procalcitonin; C-reactive protein; Prealbumin