Serum value of procalcitonin as a marker of intestinal damages: type, extension, and prognosis

Ischemic and necrotic damages are complications of digestive diseases and require emergency management. Nevertheless, the decision to surgically manage could be delayed because of no sufficiently preoperative accurate marker of ischemia diagnosis, extension, and prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels for diagnosing intestinal necrotic damages, their extension, and their prognosis in patients with ischemic disease including ischemic colitis and mesenteric infarction by a gray zone approach. Between January 2007 to June 2014, 128 patients with ischemic colitis and mesenteric infarction (codes K55.0 and K51.9) were operated, for whom data on PCT were available. We perform a retrospective, multicenter review of their medical records. Patients were divided into subgroups: ischemia (ID group) versus necrosis (ND group); the extension [focal (FD) vs. extended (ED)] and the vital status [deceased (D) vs. alive (A)]. PCT levels were higher in the ND (n = 94; p = 0.009); ED (n = 100; p = 0.02); and D (n = 70; p = 0.0003) groups. With a gray zone approach, the predictive thresholds were (i) for necrosis 2.473 ng/mL, (ii) for extension 3.884 ng/mL, and (iii) for mortality 7.87 ng/mL. In our population, PCT could be used as a marker of necrosis; especially in case of extended damages and reflects the patient's prognosis.