Serum Procalcitonin

Completed

Conditions studied: Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH)

In brief

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is characterized by changes in body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, or peripheral blood white cell count, and is often a heralding manifestation of blood infection (ie., sepsis or bloodstream infection). SIRS however can occur as a result of a stroke without sepsis. When SIRS occurs after stroke, patients are subjected to blood cultures and tests to exclude sepsis, and are often empirically treated with antibiotics potentially leading to a serious gastrointestinal infection called C. difficile enterocolitis, and bacterial antibiotic resistance. Development of a blood test that could provide sufficient sensitivity to exclude blood infection in stroke would therefore prevent numerous tests, cultures, antibiotics, and costs. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence that procalcitonin (PCT) may serve as diagnostic marker to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious SIRS. The investigators hypothesize that PCT can differentiate SIRS after stroke into patients with infection and those without infection. Such screening tests would provide crucial information to clinicians that could improve patient care by reducing the number of tests and antibiotics used, as well as antibiotic-related infections, bacterial resistance and hospital costs. Hypothesis: The investigators hypothesize that PCT can be used to define normal (SIRS without infection) and abnormal values SIRS with infection (i.e., blood, lung, urinary, spinal fluid) in a population of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Specific Aim 1.) To establish normal values of PCT in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and SIRS. Specific Aim 2.) Derive the sensitivity and positive predictive value of abnormal PCT values in patients with aneurysmal SAH, SIRS with true systemic infection.

Key facts

Study ID
NCT00954551
Run by
Mayo Clinic
People needed
40
Starts
2009-07-01
Expected to finish
2011-03-01
Last updated by the study team
2011-06-07

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

You may not qualify if…

Where it is running

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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