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Background: The usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) measurement in critically ill medical patients with suspected nosocomial infection is unclear. The aim of the study was to assess PCT value for the early diagnosis of bacterial nosocomial infection in selected critically ill patients., Methods: An observational cohort study in a 15-bed intensive care unit was performed. Seventy patients with either proven (n = 47) or clinically suspected but not confirmed (n = 23) nosocomial infection were included. Procalcitonin measurements were obtained the day when the infection was suspected (D0) and at least one time within the 3 previous days (D-3 to D0). Patients with proven infection were compared to those without. The diagnostic value of PCT on D0 was determined through the construction of the corresponding receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. In addition, the predictive value of PCT variations preceding the clinical suspicion of infection was assessed., Results: PCT on D0 was the best predictor of proven infection in this population of ICU patients with a clinical suspicion of infection (AUROCC = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.68-0.91). Thus, a cut-off value of 0.44 ng/mL provides sensitivity and specificity of 65.2% and 83.0%, respectively. Procalcitonin variation between D-1 and D0 was calculated in 45 patients and was also found to be predictive of nosocomial infection (AUROCC = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-0.98) with a 100% positive predictive value if the +0.26 ng/mL threshold value was applied. Comparable results were obtained when PCT variation between D-2 and D0, or D-3 and D0 were considered. In contrast, CRP elevation, leukocyte count and fever had a poor predictive value in our population., Conclusion: PCT monitoring could be helpful in the early diagnosis of nosocomial infection in the ICU. Both absolute values and variations should be considered and evaluated in further studies.

Because of recurrent colonization by Klebsiella pneumoniae strains producing type SHV-4 extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), a case-control study was conducted in an intensive care unit to investigate the risk of acquisition, with special reference to antibiotic therapy and resuscitation procedures. Fifty-one patients colonized or infected by ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae (cases) were matched with 51 noncolonized patients (controls). Duration of intubation was significantly longer for cases than for controls, while duration of beta-lactamase inhibitor therapy was significantly shorter. By means of multivariate analysis, intubation was the only risk factor identified (odds ratio [OR] = 1.19), while beta-lactamase inhibitor therapy was shown to be a protective factor (OR = 0.849). During outbreaks of SHV-4 type ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae in intensive care units, preferential use of beta-lactamase inhibitors may help control the emergence and spread of these pathogens even if essential hand washing and isolation procedures are adhered to.