Abstract
BackgroundEarly recognition is a key factor to achieve improved outcomes for septic patients. Combinations of biomarkers, as opposed to single ones, may improve timely diagnosis and survival. We investigated the performance characteristics of sepsis biomarkers, alone and in combination, for diagnosis of verified bacterial sepsis using Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 criteria, respectively.MethodsProcalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and lactate were determined in a total of 1,572 episodes of adult patients admitted to the emergency department on suspicion of sepsis. All sampling were performed prior to antibiotic administration. Discriminant analysis was used to construct two composite biomarkers consisting of linear combinations of the investigated biomarkers, one including three selected biomarkers (i.e., NLCR, CRP, and lactate), and another including all four (i.e., PCT, NLCR, CRP, and lactate). The diagnostic performances of the composite biomarkers as well as the individual biomarkers were compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).ResultsFor diagnosis of bacterial sepsis based on Sepsis-3 criteria, the AUC for PCT (0.68; 95% CI 0.65–0.71) was comparable to the AUCs for the both composite biomarkers. Using the Sepsis-2 criteria for bacterial sepsis diagnosis, the AUC for the NLCR (0.68; 95% CI 0.65–0.71) but not for the other single biomarkers, was equal to the AUCs for the both composite biomarkers. For diagnosis of severe bacterial sepsis or septic shock based on the Sepsis-2 criteria, the AUCs for both composite biomarkers were significantly greater than those of the single biomarkers (0.85; 95% CI 0.82–0.88 for the composite three-biomarker, and 0.86; 95% CI 0.83–0.89 for the composite four-biomarker).ConclusionsCombinations of biomarkers can improve the diagnosis of verified bacterial sepsis in the most critically ill patients, but in less severe septic conditions either the NLCR or PCT alone exhibit equivalent performance.
Highlights
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the host responds to an infection and damages its organs [1]
Procalcitonin (PCT), neutrophil-lymphocyte count ratio (NLCR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and lactate were determined in a total of 1,572 episodes of adult patients admitted to the emergency department on suspicion of sepsis
For diagnosis of bacterial sepsis based on Sepsis-3 criteria, the area under the curve (AUC) for PCT (0.68; 95% CI 0.65–0.71) was comparable to the AUCs for the both composite biomarkers
Summary
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the host responds to an infection and damages its organs [1]. It is often difficult to distinguish between bacterial and non-bacterial aetiologies early in suspected sepsis. Clinical signs of sepsis such as tachycardia, leucocytosis, tachypnea, and pyrexia, often overlap with other non-infectious conditions in critically ill patients. It has been shown that prompt diagnosis and early administration of appropriate antibiotic therapy considerably improve the outcomes of septic patients [2,3,4]. The difficulty in distinguishing between bacterial and non-bacterial aetiologies is a major cause of the misuse of antibiotics [5]. Recognition is a key factor to achieve improved outcomes for septic patients. Combinations of biomarkers, as opposed to single ones, may improve timely diagnosis and survival. We investigated the performance characteristics of sepsis biomarkers, alone and in combination, for diagnosis of verified bacterial sepsis using Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 criteria, respectively
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