Procalcitonin is useful whereas C-reactive protein is not, to predict complications following coronary artery bypass surgery

Background: The respective value of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as markers of postoperative complications after coronary bypass surgery is unclear. Therefore, complications during one week after surgery were studied to evaluate the predictive role of PCT and CRP changes during the immediate postoperative period. Methods: Thirty-two patients, in whom an uneventful immediate postoperative course was anticipated, were prospectively enrolled and followed-up to the 7th post-operative day. At the end of the follow-up, patients were divided into two groups. Group A were patients with an uncomplicated postoperative course and Group B were patients with a complicated postoperative course. Results: Serum samples were drawn for PCT and CRP determination after induction of anesthesia (baseline), at the end of surgery and daily until postoperative day 2. Baseline serum PCT concentrations were 0.11±0.09 and 0.20±0.21 ng/mL in Groups A and B, respectively (NS). Serum PCT concentration increased compared with baseline in both groups during the first two days after surgery. The increase in serum PCT concentration was significantly greater in Group B than A patients (p 0.5 ng/mL, there were none in Group A versus 57% in Group B (p 0.5 ng/mL is highly suggestive of a post-operative complication. CRP changes do not contribute to predictive information.