Utility of Serum Procalcitonin and Serum Albumin Ratio as Predictors in Discriminating Urosepsis from Patients with Febrile Urinary Tract Infection

Abstract

Background: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is a dependable and effective non-invasive diagnostic test that can assist a physician in determining the appropriate treatment for a urinary tract infection (UTI). this study aimed toassess the utility of serum procalcitonin and serum albumin ratio as predictors in discriminating urosepsis from patients with febrile urinary tract infection Methods: A Prospective observational study was conducted for 18 months. Study subjects include all cases of urinary tract infection. A total of 80 patients were included in the study. A proforma containing necessary details with baseline demographic data, clinical, and Laboratory data was recorded upon inclusion into the study. Other tests such as C-reactive protein, total leucocyte count, Complete blood count, liver function test, renal function test and USG abdomen and pelvis was done and documented. Results: Age group of 51-60 years constituted the majority. The levels of serum albumin were <3.5 mg/dl in 72% of the study subjects and >3.5 mg/dl in 28%. The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) was identified in 26 cases, constituting 32.5% of the sample. Among the 80 study subjects with urinary tract infections, 7.5% had mortality. 34.78% of the fUTI cases had procalcitonin levels more than 2ng/mL and 97.1% of the urosepsis cases had procalcitonin levels more than 2ng/mL. PCT levels of > 2.0 ng/mL or ≥ 2.0 ng/mL. Conclusion: Procalcitonin/albumin ratios greater than 0.44 are useful in differentiating between fUTI and urosepsis, and they may be better than more conventional biomarkers like leucocyte counts and CRP levels. The procalcitonin/albumin ratio is a low-cost and quick biomarker for use in clinical settings.