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Purpose: The present study was undertaken to evaluate urinary neopterin in intensive care unit patients., Materials and Methods: Urinary neopterin levels were determined in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (n = 10), sepsis (n = 18), septic shock (n = 9), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (n = 5). It was tested whether neopterin is a differential parameter among the patient groups. Furthermore, the results were also evaluated by comparing with a healthy control group (n = 30), and the relationship between neopterin and mortality or Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were investigated., Results: Neopterin levels of the control group and patients were detected as 111 +/- 11 and 3850 +/- 1081 mumol/mol creatinine, respectively (P < .05). It was significantly increased in the sepsis and septic shock groups compared to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome group (P < .05). Neopterin levels were significantly higher in the patients with mortality and lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores., Conclusion: This study showed that monitoring of urinary neopterin profile can be used in intensive care units to show the degree and prognosis of the disease.

Background: Intestinal mucosal ischemia and subsequent barrier dysfunction have been related to the development of organ dysfunction and death in the critically ill. We hypothesized that urine concentrations of intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP), a sensitive marker of intestinal ischemia, might predict the development of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and organ dysfunction., Methods: One hundred consecutive critically ill patients were prospectively studied for the development of infectious complications, organ dysfunction, and SIRS. Urine was collected daily for measurement of IFABP., Results: A total of 58 males and 42 females (mean age, 56 years; range,16-85 years) were studied. Of these 100 patients, 40 patients developed complications and 5 patients developed SIRS. IFABP was significantly elevated in all patients with SIRS, and IFABP levels peaked an average of 1.4 days (range, 0-7 days) before the diagnosis of SIRS., Conclusion: Elevated concentrations of urine IFABP correlated with the clinical development of SIRS. Studies to assess the utility of IFABP as a predictor of organ dysfunction and SIRS in the critically ill are warranted.