Procalcitonin and Interleukin-6 Levels: Are They Useful Biomarkers in Cardiac Surgery Patients?

Background/aim: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury is an independent predictor of chronic renal disease and mortality. The scope of this study was to determine the utility of procalcitonin (PCT) and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in predicting renal outcome and mortality in these patients.

Methods: PCT and plasma IL-6 levels of 122 cardiac surgery patients were measured at 48 h after the surgical procedure. Primary endpoints were adverse renal outcome and mortality. Secondary endpoints were length of stay, bleeding, and number of transfusions.

Results: PCT was found to be a better predictor of adverse renal outcome than IL-6. IL-6 seemed to be a better predictor of both 30-day and overall mortality than PCT. Neither PCT nor IL-6 levels were found to be good predictors of intensive care unit stay and bleeding.

Conclusion: PCT may be considered a good predictor of adverse renal outcome in cardiac surgery patients, whereas IL-6 seems to possess a good predictive value for mortality in this population of patients.