Comparison of C-Reactive Protein and Procalcitonin as Biomarkers for Severity of Sepsis in Odontogenic Infection

Abstract Introduction: Morbidity and mortality rates are correlated with the severity of infections. In order to lower the incidence of morbidity and death, it is critical for the clinician to assess the severity of the odontogenic infection and implement an aggressive treatment protocol. C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) are common biomarkers of sepsis. Aim: To determine the severity of infection with biomarkers of sepsis in persons with odontogenic infection. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. It was conducted on selected participants with odontogenic infection over 6 months (August 2023–January 2024 inclusive) in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the Oral Health Directorate of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Data were collected after getting ethical clearance from the KATH Institutional Review Board. Participants’ blood samples were collected for laboratory investigations, including FBC, LFT, KFT, CRP, and PCT. Plasma concentrations of CRP and PCT were used as laboratory indices to determine the severity of odontogenic infection. Data were captured and coded using Excel and then cleaned and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25.0. Results: CRP levels were ≤50.2 mg/L for mild odontogenic infections, and PCT levels were ≤0.179 ng/mL. Moderate infections encompassed a CRP range of 50.3 to 80.3 mg/L and a PCT range of 0.18 to 9.7 ng/mL. Severe infections were characterised by CRP levels ≥80.4 mg/L and procalcitonin levels ≥9.8 ng/mL. Conclusion: PCT is a superior biomarker of sepsis compared to CRP.