Hyperprocalcitonemia is related to noninfectious postoperative severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with cardiovascular dysfunction after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of 3 inflammatory parameters as early markers of severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) induced by coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

University hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients (n = 63) undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine classification was used to diagnose SIRS. Organ system failures were used to define severe SIRS. Serum concentrations of the inflammatory parameters (procalcitonin [PCT], C-reactive protein, leukocyte count) were determined before, during, and after surgery. SIRS occurred in 30 (47%) patients after surgery. Seven patients (11%) showed SIRS with greater-than-or-equal1 organ dysfunction (severe SIRS), whereas patients without SIRS had no organ dysfunction. Significantly higher serum levels of PCT were found in patients with severe SIRS from the 6th postoperative hour until the 3rd postoperative day with a peak level of 10.7 plus minus 13.2 ng/mL. No significant difference was detected between serum PCT of patients with SIRS but without any organ dysfunction and patients without SIRS. PCT levels of these patients remained lower than 1.7 ng/mL. Compared with PCT, plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein peaked later on the 2nd postoperative day and were not able to confirm the severity of SIRS. Leukocyte counts were not significantly modified.

CONCLUSIONS

PCT seems to be an appropriate marker to identify the early development of noninfectious postoperative severe SIRS after coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.