Prognostic Role of Serum Procalcitonin Measurement in Adult Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department with Fever.

2021 
Background and Objectives. Fever is one of the most common presenting complaints in the Emergency Department (ED). This study aimed at evaluating the prognostic role of serum Procalcitonin (PCT) measurement among adult patients admitted to the ED with fever. Materials and Methods. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study including all consecutive patients admitted to ED with fever and subsequently hospitalized in a period of six-year (January 2014 to December 2019). Inclusion criteria were age > 18 years, fever (T ≥ 38 °C) or chills within 24 h from presentation to the ED as the main symptom, and availability of a PCT determination obtained 0.5 ng/mL was an independent risk factor for all-cause in-hospital death in both groups (HR 1.77 [1.27–2.48], and 1.80 [1.59–2.59], respectively). Conclusions. Among adult patients admitted with fever, the PCT assessment in ED could have reduced prognostic power for patients with a high suspicion of sepsis. On the other hand, it could be useful for sepsis rule-out for patients at low risk. In these latter patients, the prognostic role of PCT is higher for those with a final diagnosis of bloodstream infection.
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