Value of procalcitonin levels as a predictive biomarker for sepsis in pediatric patients with burn injuries.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) measurements for the prediction of sepsis in pediatric patients with burn injuries.

Method: All pediatric patients with burn aged between 1 and 15 years who were treated at Burn Centre of Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey between January 2014 and January 2015 were included in this study. The patients were classified into three groups according to levels of serum PCT. Groups one, two, and three consisted of patients with PCT levels lower than 0.5 ng/dl, patients with PCT levels 0.5--2.0 ng/dl, and patients with PCT levels greater than 2.0 ng/dl, respectively. Demographic data (age, gender), burn etiology, body region of burns, percentage of affected total body surface area (TBSA), antibiotic requirement, intensive care unit (ICU) requirement, hospitalization time, blood culture results, and mortality were evaluated in relation to PCT levels.

Results: The mean PCT level at admittance was 2.2 ± 5.8 ng/dl. There were 52, 7, and 11 patients in group one, two, and three, respectively. Higher PCT levels were significantly associated with higher percentage TBSA (P < 0.001), positive blood cultures (P < 0.001), higher requirement of antibiotics and intensive care (P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively), and longer hospitalization time (P < 0,001).

Conclusion: High PCT levels may be a predictive biomarker for the development of sepsis in pediatric patients with burn injury. However, more comprehensive prospective studies may be required to validate this finding.