Procalcitonin to Albumin Ratio as A Biomarker for Predicting Mortality in Sepsis

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the ability of the procalcitonin to albumin ratio to predict mortality in patients with sepsis. Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Intensive care, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkiye, from September to December 2022. Methodology: Patients diagnosed with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit were included in the study. They were divided into two groups based on their prognosis (expiry/survival). The procalcitonin, albumin, procalcitonin to albumin ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate, neutrophil, lymphocyte, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels of sepsis patients admitted to the intensive care unit were evaluated. A comparison was made between those who survived and those who expired. Results: The procalcitonin, AST levels, and procalcitonin to albumin ratio of the sepsis patients who expired were higher than those of the sepsis patients who survived. Albumin and lymphocyte levels of patients who expired were lower than those in the patients who survived. In the ROC analysis, the sensitivity of the procalcitonin to albumin ratio was 79.20%, and the specificity was 81.80%. The procalcitonin to albumin ratio was positively related with procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and aspartate aminotransferase levels, and negatively related with albumin and lymphocyte levels. Conclusion: A procalcitonin to albumin ratio of 0.185 and above was found to be risky in terms of mortality in sepsis patients.