Fig. 2.

Time course of biomarkers (CRP, PCT and MR-proADM), temperature and WCC from day 1 to day 6 of mechanical ventilation in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) patients and non-infected controls (a CRP, b CRP ratio, c PCT, d MR-proADM, e WCC, f temperature). Time-dependent analysis of CRP, CRP ratio and CPIS was significantly different between VAP patients and controls (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p = 0.019, respectively). Some variables, namely CRP and CRP ratio, became significantly higher by day 5 in patients that will develop a VAP in comparison with controls (*p < 0.05). CRP C-reactive protein, MR-proADM mid-region fragment of pro-adrenomedullin, PCT procalcitonin, VAP ventilator-associated pneumonia, WCC white cell count