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Bettina M. Rau, MD

Arch Surg. 2007;142(8):803-804.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

In reply

We are pleased to have the opportunity to reply to the letter of Paugam-Burtz et al in this issue of the Archives. The authors outline an important alternative approach to assessing persisting septic complications or prognosis in patients with secondary peritonitis by daily monitoring sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores, which outperformed PCT measurements. However, it is well known that study results and interpretation depend strongly on patient characteristics, setting, observation periods, and end-point analyses, which are, on careful analysis, different from those in our trial. The authors' results are based on a limited number of patients studied in a monocentric intensive care unit setting comparing postoperative PCT values with SOFA scores without showing immediate postoperative results and an overall observation period restricted to the first 5 postoperative days only. Therefore, meaningful conclusions about the usefulness of PCT determinations and SOFA scores should . . . [Full Text of this Article]

AUTHOR INFORMATION

RELATED LETTERS

Evaluation of Procalcitonin for Predicting Septic Multiorgan Failure and Overall Prognosis in Secondary Peritonitis: A Prospective, International Multicenter Study
Bettina M. Rau, Isabella Frigerio, Markus W. Büchler, Karl Wegscheider, Claudio Bassi, Pauli A. Puolakkainen, Hans G. Beger, and Martin K. Schilling
Arch Surg. 2007;142(2):134-142.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Procalcitonin Levels and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Scores in Secondary Peritonitis
Catherine Paugam-Burtz, Jean Mantz, Hervé Dupont, and Monique Dehoux
Arch Surg. 2007;142(8):803.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

RELATED ARTICLE

Evaluation of Procalcitonin for Predicting Septic Multiorgan Failure and Overall Prognosis in Secondary Peritonitis: A Prospective, International Multicenter Study
Bettina M. Rau, Isabella Frigerio, Markus W. Büchler, Karl Wegscheider, Claudio Bassi, Pauli A. Puolakkainen, Hans G. Beger, and Martin K. Schilling
Arch Surg. 2007;142(2):134-142.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT