Table 3.

Procalcitonin (PCT) plasma concentrations of patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or sepsis and subsequent multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) within four categories of the APACHE II score

APACHE II	< 10	10–19	20–29	> 29
PCT	1.46	1.70	3.62*	9.90*
(μ g/l)	(0.57–2.35)	(0.67–2.67)	(1.60–9.44)	(4.34–23)
CRP	54.85	122	136	133
(mg/ml)	(52.4–49)	(82.3–174)	(94.3–194)	(94.3–190)
n	2	54	193	133

Indicated are median, 25/75 percentiles and 10/90 percentiles of PCT concentrations obtained from 40 patients during a 15-day observation period. ^*P 0.0001, versus the preceding category (Mann-Whitney u-test);n, number of observations. CRP, C-reactive peptide; APACHE, Acute Physiology, Age, Chronic Health Evaluation.