Prognostic role of the serum procalcitonin for occurrence of postoperative complications in oncologic patients treated in the Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care

Medical Review (Med. pregled), 2024, 60(2), 27-35.

K. Tsvetanova, M. Georgiev

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical University – Pleven

Abstract. Sepsis is the most severe manifestation of an acute infection and it causes a complex syndrome, which can lead to multi-organ failure and death in 30-50 % of the cases. In the last few decades it was assumed that different biomarkers could help to optimize antibiotic therapy for treatment of sepsis in the intensive care units by better identification of patients with true bacterial infections, requiring antibiotics. Aim: To prove the prognostic role of serum procalcitonin for occurrence of postoperative complications in oncological patients, treated in the Clinic of Anestesiology and Intensive Care. Materials and methods: A prospective clinicoepidemiological study, including 43 patients with oncological diseases, operated on at UMHAT “Sv.Marina” – Pleven in the period 2022-2023, was conducted. The patients underwent studies of procalcitonin serum levels on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th postoperative days. Results: Elevated values of serum procalcitonin were found in the first 7 postoperative days in patients with oncological diseases after operative interventions and treatment in the Clinic of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. We proved the existence of a statistically significant link between the elevated levels of this biological marker and the respiratory and cardiovascular complications which occurred as well as the number of isolated bacterial causative agents and death in some patients. Conclusion: The higher serum levels of procalcitonin in the early postoperative period are a prognostic marker for the occurrence of complications in patients, treated in the ICU.

Key words: procalcitonin, cardiovascular complications, respiratory complications

Address for correspondence: Prof. Kamelia Tsvetanova, MD, e-mail: kamelia_tsvetanova@abv.bg