Correlation of Serum Procalcitonin and Severity of Post-Cesarean Wound Infection

Background: After a Caesarean section (CS), surgical site infections (SSIs) result in maternal morbidity as well as financial and psychological costs to society.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between serum procalcitonin and severity of post CS wound infection.
Patients and methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and included 64 patients who were divided into 2 groups. Group A (n=32) where secondary suture was done and group B (n=32) where no secondary suture was done. The study started from March 2020 until May 2022.
Results: Procalcitonin (PCT) increased significantly in secondary suture group (234.10 ± 50.20) compared to the non-secondary suture group (161.94 ± 25.55). Pre-operative CRP was 0.698, post-operative CRP was 0.788, pre-operative TLC was 0.689, and post-operative TLC was 0.714, whereas PCT's area under the curve (AUC) for predicting the SSI was 0.977 (95%CI=0.946-1.000). The pre-operative CRP cutoff was ≥ 4.50, the post-operative CRP was ≥ 6.50, the pre-operative TLC was 7.45, and the post-operative TLC was > 10.25.
Conclusion: Serum PCT levels tested during the postoperative period were found to be more sensitive and specific than other traditional infection markers like CRP and TLC in the early detection of SSI following CS.