Procalcitonin kinetics within the first days of sepsis: relationship with the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy and the outcome

Table 2 Procalcitonin changes at various time points in patients with bacterial sepsis according to antibiotic therapy

	First-line empirical antibiotic therapy		P value
	Appropriate	Inappropriate
PCT at D1 (n = 180; 129 S, 51 NS)^a	27.2 (62.7)	29.6 (96.7)	0.92
PCT at D2 (n = 163; 117 S, 46 NS)^a	27.4 (45.1)	40.9 (74.3)	0.09
ΔPCT D1–D2	+1.7 (35.0)	+5.2 (47.4)	0.20
PCT at D3 (n = 164; 117 S, 47 NS)^a	24.4 (58.4)	34.4 (55.7)	0.12
ΔPCT D2–D3	-3.9 (35.9)	+5.0 (29.7)	<0.01
PCT at D4 (n = 121; 80 S, 41 NS)^a	17.3 (45.8)	32.4 (46.2)	0.03
ΔPCT D1–D4	-9.1 (46.7)	-0.8 (102.5)	0.01
ΔPCT D3–D4	-8.3 (21.5)	-8.4 (16.6)	0.97

Changes in procalcitonin (PCT) values at various time points in patients with bacterial sepsis according to the appropriateness of the first-line empirical antibiotic therapy. S, survivors; NS, nonsurvivors. ΔPCT D1–D2, procalcitonin decrease between day 2 and day 1 after the onset of sepsis, and so forth. ^aMissing data are due to insufficient serum sample or death of patients within the 1-day, 2-day or 3-day-period following the onset of sepsis. D1, day sepsis is diagnosed.

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