Elevated calcitonin precursor levels are related to mortality in an animal model of sepsis
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
7-12-1999
Journal
Critical Care
Volume
3
Issue
1
DOI
10.1186/cc300
Keywords
Inflammation; Peritonitis; Procalcitonin; Prohormone; Serum marker
Abstract
Background: Increased serum levels of procalcitonin (ProCT) and its component peptides have been reported in humans with sepsis. Using a hamster model of bacterial peritonitis, we investigated whether serum ProCT levels are elevated and correlate with mortality and hypocalcemia. Results: Incremental increases in doses of bacteria resulted in proportional increases in 72 h mortality rates (0, 20, 70, and 100%) as well as increases in serum total immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) levels at 12 h (250, 380, 1960, and 4020 pg/ml, respectively, vs control levels of 21 pg/ml). Gel filtration studies revealed that ProCT was the predominant (>90%) molecular form of serum iCT secreted. In the metabolic experiments, total iCT peaked at 12 h concurrent with the maximal decrease in serum calcium. Conclusions: In this animal model, hyper-procalcitoninemia was an early systemic marker of sepsis which correlated closely with mortality and had an inverse correlation with serum calcium levels.
APA Citation
Steinwald, P., Whang, K., Becker, K., Snider, R., Nylen, E., & White, J. (1999). Elevated calcitonin precursor levels are related to mortality in an animal model of sepsis. Critical Care, 3 (1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/cc300