Presepsin Levels in Emergency Patients with Bacterial and Viral Infection

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a major problem with a high mortality rate, and emergency rooms are the first service point at which sepsis patients are treated. Blood presepsin levels are used as a tool to identify patients who may suffer from sepsis caused by bacterial infection, necessitating immediate antibiotic treatment.AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate presepsin levels in patients with bacterial and viral infections in the emergency department. METHODS: This was a prospective study consisting of 88 patients over 18 years of age who visited the Srinagarind Hospital emergency room and fulfilled one or more criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Presepsin levels in the leftover blood specimens were tested. RESULTS: In the bacterial infection group, 63.6% of the patients were male, and the mean age was 43.7 ± 10.5 years. Mean presepsin levels were 2904.73, pg/ml in the bacterial infection group and 204.88 pg/ml in the viral infection group. CONCLUSION: Presepsin levels in the bacterial infection group were significantly higher than in the viral infection group, in which they were below the standard cutoff point.