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Table 7 Linear regression model for all cases with forward selection of potential confounders

From: Influence of pathogen and focus of infection on procalcitonin values in sepsis patients with bacteremia or candidemia

Variable

Regression

coefficient

95% CI

p value

Multiplier

(95% CI)

Staphylococcus spp.

0.11

(0.05–0.18)

<.001

1.3 (1.1–1.5)

Streptococcus spp.

0.50

(0.39–0.62)

<.001

3.2 (2.5–4.2)

Enterococcus spp.

0.14

(0.02–0.26)

0.02

1.4 (1.0–1.8)

Escherichia coli

0.52

(0.45–0.59)

<.001

3.3 (2.8–3.9)

Enterobacteriacae, other

0.51

(0.42–0.6)

<.001

3.2 (2.6–4.0)

Pseudomonas spp.

0.16

(−0.06 to 0.39)

0.16

1.4 (0.9–2.5)

Candida spp.

0.14

(− 0.03 to 0.31)

0.11

1.4 (0.9–2.0)

Several pathogens

0.36

(0.26–0.46)

<.001

2.3 (1.8–2.9)

Rare pathogens

0.20

(0.08–0.32)

<.001

1.6 (1.2–2.1)

No pathogen detected

Reference

  

Reference

Respiratory

−0.24

(−0.31 to – 0.16)

<.001

0.6 (0.5–0.7)

Abdominal

0.09

(0.01–0.17)

<.001

1.2 (1.0–1.5)

Urogenital

0.20

(0.11–0.3)

0.02

1.6 (1.3–2.0)

Bones/soft tissue

−0.19

(− 0.28 to – 0.1)

<.001

0.6 (0.5–0.8)

Several foci

− 0.10

(− 0.19 to – 0.02)

<.001

0.8 (0.6–1.0)

Other/unknown

Reference

  

Reference

Male

0.06

(0.02–0.1)

0.002

1.1 (1.0–1.3)

Female

Reference

  

Reference

Community acquired

0.16

(0.11–0.2)

<.001

1.4 (1.3–1.6)

ICU acquired

−0.14

(−0.2 to – 0.09)

<.001

0.7 (0.6–0.8)

Normal ward acquired

Reference

  

Reference

Lactate per mmol/l

0.01

(0.01–0.02)

<.001

1.0 (1.0–1.0)

SOFA score per point

0.03

(0.02–0.04)

<.001

1.1 (1.0–1.1)

Septic shock

0.22

(0.18–0.27)

<.001

1.7 (1.5–1.9)

Intercept

0.66

(0.57–0.74)

<.001

4.5 (3.7–5.5)

  1. General linear model for influence of pathogens in blood culture and focus of infection on logPCT (p < 0.001 for both factors) including all 3156 cases with PCT measurement and blood cultures taken before start of new antimicrobial therapy; additional potential confounders added by stepwise selection; age (p = 0.3) and type of ICU admission (0.14) were only ones not selected. Adjusted R2 = 0.24; interaction terms not included in model
  2. After reversal of the logarithmic transformation, the multiplier equals 10regression coefficient, resulting in PCTpredicted = 4.5 × pathogen × focus × confounders × error
  3. CI confidence interval, ICU intensive care unit, PCT procalcitonin, SOFA Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score