Changes of Procalcitonin Kinetics According to Renal Clearance in Critically Ill Patients with Primary Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between procalcitonin (PCT) kinetic and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) in critically ill patients who had Gram-negative primary bloodstream infection (GN-BSI) and responded to the antimicrobial therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This single-centered study was retrospective and observational. Critically ill GN-BSI patients over 18 years old who had clinical and microbiological responses to antibiotic treatment were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to eGFR (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73m and ≥30 mL/min/1.73m) and compared for PCT kinetic at seven different measurement points as initial, first, third, fifth, seventh, tenth, and fourteenth days.

RESULTS

The study included 138 patients. Initial PCT levels were higher in patients with eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73m (4.58 [1.36-39.4] ng/mL) than in eGFR ≥30 mL/min/1.73m (0.91 [0.32-10.2]) (<0.001). This elevation was present at all measurement points (<0.05). The decrease in PCT values by ≥30% (26.0% vs 47.9%; =0.024) on the third day and ≥50% (69.2% vs 76.6%; =0.411) on the fifth day was less in the low eGFR (<30 mL/min/1.73m) group. The effect of low GFR on serum PCT kinetic was present in both fermenter and non-fermenter GN-BSIs but was more prominent in the fermenter group.

CONCLUSION

Serum PCT levels during therapy were higher in patients with low eGFR. Early PCT (<5 days) response was not obtained in non-fermenter GN-BSI patients with low eGFR. Antibiotic revision decisions should be made more carefully in patients with low eGFR due to high initial PCT levels and slow PCT kinetic.