Usefulness of procalcitonin in the early detection of infection after thoracic surgery.

Objective: The twofold aim of this prospective clinical study was to assess the accuracy of procalcitonin as a marker of postoperative infection after thoracic surgery and to compare it with C-reactive protein.

Methods: Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein concentrations, clinical symptoms of infection and systemic inflammation were recorded preoperatively and 5 days postoperatively in 157 patients undergoing the following procedures: 52 wedge resections, 28 pneumonectomies and 77 lobectomies (or bilobectomies). Patients were classified as non-infected or infected according to predefined criteria.