Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 2011 Volume 139, Issue 11-12, Pages: 736-742
https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1112736M
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Procalcitonin-based therapeutic strategy to reduce antibiotic use in patients after cardiac surgery: A randomized controlled trial
Maravić-Stojković Vera (Imunološka laboratorija, Institut za kardiovaskularne bolesti „Dedinje”, Beograd)
Laušević-Vuk Ljiljana (Klinika za anesteziju i intenzivnu negu, Institut za kardiovaskularne bolesti „Dedinje”, Beograd)
Jović Miomir (Klinika za anesteziju i intenzivnu negu, Institut za kardiovaskularne bolesti „Dedinje”, Beograd + Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Ranković Aleksandra (Klinika za anesteziju i intenzivnu negu, Institut za kardiovaskularne bolesti „Dedinje”, Beograd)
Borzanović Milorad (Odsek za kardiologiju, Institut za kardiovaskularne bolesti „Dedinje”, Beograd)
Marinković Jelena (Institut za medicinsku statistiku i informatiku, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd)
Introduction. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a thyroid gland prohormone, and its
serum concentration is elevated in systemic bacterial infections. The
diagnostic cut-off value of PCT in patients early after cardiac surgery
remains unclear. Objective. We investigated whether procalcitonin-guidance
could reduce antibiotic usage safely. Methods. The prospective study included
205 patients who underwent open heart surgery. The patients were randomly
assigned for procalcitonin-guided antibiotic treatment (PCT-group; n=102) or
standard care (standard group; n=103). On the basis of serum procalcitonin
concentrations, usage of antibiotics was encouraged (PCT≥0.5 ng/mL) or
discouraged. Results. A relative risk of antibiotic exposure in the standard
group compared with the PCT-group was 3.81 (95% CI=2.03-7.17; p<0.0001). The
mean cost of antibiotics per patient in procalcitonin group was €193.3±636.6
vs. €372.1±841.1 (p=0.206) in the standard group, while the mean cost per
hospital day was €8.0±18.4 vs. €17.8±36.3 (p=0.028). We found that
non-infectious complications occurred in 40/102 vs. 41/103 (p=0.592) while
infections appeared in 5/102 vs. 22/103 (p=0.001) cases. A statistically
significant difference was observed in the treatment of urinary infections
between PCT-group and standard group; 1/102 vs. 9/103 (p=0.016). In the
PCT-group, the ICU stay was 5.74±11.49 days and in the standard group
6.97±11.61 (p=0.812). The hospital stay was 12.08±11.28 vs. 12.93±10.73
(p>0.05) days, respectively. Mortality rates were equal in both groups of
patients (p=0.537). Conclusion. Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic treatment is
safe and can significantly reduce the cost of postoperative care.
Additionally, the antibiotic use during immediate postoperative course should
be timely controlled and limited to documented bacterial infections.
Keywords: procalcitonin, antibiotics, inflammatory mediators, cardiac surgery