Abstract 1580

Background. PCT serum levels in normal subjects are low and often non measurable (< 0.5 mg/ml). They rise markedly in patients with severe infections and sepsis and following i.v. injection of endotoxins in healthy volunteers. The rapid and marked increment of PCT during infection and its short half-life (< 24h) make this molecule a good candidate as a marker of inflammation.

Aims. Data on serum PCT levels in the neonatal period are scanty and its behaviour during infection has not been sufficiently studied. The aims of our study were: 1) to define the PCT serum levels in "normal" (non infected) newborns of different gestational (GA) and postnatal (PNA) ages; 2) to investigate the response of PCT to severe acute infection in the newborn period and to compare it with other biological markers of inflammation (C reactive protein - C-RP, white blood cell count - WBC, microbiological findings-cultures) and to the final outcome.

Materials and methods. Repeated measurements of PCT (immunoluminometric). C-RP (nephelometric), WBC, and cultures were performed on microsamples of blood taken for other routine and diagnostic procedures in 2 groups of newborn infants admitted to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Group 1, n° 36, GA 37.6 w ((SD 3.5, Range 28-41), BW 2796 g ((SD 769, Range 1080-4130 g); Group 2, n° 15, GA 30.9 w ((SD 5.65, Range 24-39), BW 1700 g ((SD 1014, Range 630-3400 g).

Results. Subjects of Group 1 had a mean value of PCT of 0.61 (SD 0.80 (Ranged0.02-3.3), independently of their post-natal age (range 2-69 days), and a mean value of C-RP of 0.53 (SD 0.42 (Range 0.10-1.81). Subjects of Group 2 showed a variable increment of PCT and C-RP concomitantly with the septic epysodes: mean PCT 69.7 (SD 23 (Range 2.4 - 258), mean C-PR 10.8 (SD 12.7 (Range 0.03-43) with almost no overlap with Group 1.

Due to the short half-life of PCT its increase during sepsis and its decrease during recovery was faster then C-RP and other indices of infection.

(Supported by a Grant of Italian Ministry of Health)