Sepsis continues to be a significant cause of death and morbidity in the intensive care unit (ICU), with documented mortality rates as high as 50% (Nargis, Ibrahim, & Ahamed, 2014). Moreover, it is also estimated to be the principal cause of death and illness worldwide (Singer et al., 2016). The socioeconomic costs related to sepsis in the United States were determined to be more than $20 billion in 2011 (Balk et al., 2017). Also, there has been a steady increase in the incidences of sepsis as the technological advances in medicine allow for more invasive procedures and the growth of multidrug-resistant organisms become more prevalent (Nargis, Ibrahim, & Ahamed, 2014). Therefore, timely diagnosis and treatment of sepsis are paramount.
…show more content…
In addition to following the current standardized guidelines for sepsis, research into more rapid forms of sepsis detection such as the use the serum biomarkers (i.e., C-reactive protein and procalcitonin) have been investigated (Sawaya, Chedid, & Majzoub, 2018). There is quantifiable evidence as to the scientific use of procalcitonin (PCT) testing in the adult and neonatal ICUs, however, use of PCT assays in pediatrics is insufficient (Pontrelli et al., 2017). As a result, utilizing a quantitative approach, this study seeks to conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to investigate the use of serum PCT versus CRP as a diagnostic biomarker of sepsis in the postoperative pediatric …show more content…
They developed guidelines for sepsis diagnosis based upon meeting two or more systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria along with positive microbiological cultures (e.g., bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic) (Nargis, Ibrahim, & Ahamed, 2014). The definition of sepsis was revised in 2016 by the SCCM and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and has been referred to as the Sepsis-3 Guidelines which no longer follows SIRS criteria (Singer et al., 2016). Nonetheless, these current guidelines pertain only to the adult population; pediatrics continues to base therapeutic interventions upon SIRS criteria (Sawaya, Chedid, & Majzoub, 2018). Further evidence as to the need for more sensitive and specific indicators of sepsis in this particular
In addition to following the current standardized guidelines for sepsis, research into more rapid forms of sepsis detection such as the use the serum biomarkers (i.e., C-reactive protein and procalcitonin) have been investigated (Sawaya, Chedid, & Majzoub, 2018). There is quantifiable evidence as to the scientific use of procalcitonin (PCT) testing in the adult and neonatal ICUs, however, use of PCT assays in pediatrics is insufficient (Pontrelli et al., 2017). As a result, utilizing a quantitative approach, this study seeks to conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to investigate the use of serum PCT versus CRP as a diagnostic biomarker of sepsis in the postoperative pediatric …show more content…
They developed guidelines for sepsis diagnosis based upon meeting two or more systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria along with positive microbiological cultures (e.g., bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic) (Nargis, Ibrahim, & Ahamed, 2014). The definition of sepsis was revised in 2016 by the SCCM and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) and has been referred to as the Sepsis-3 Guidelines which no longer follows SIRS criteria (Singer et al., 2016). Nonetheless, these current guidelines pertain only to the adult population; pediatrics continues to base therapeutic interventions upon SIRS criteria (Sawaya, Chedid, & Majzoub, 2018). Further evidence as to the need for more sensitive and specific indicators of sepsis in this particular