_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2017 Dec 15; 5(7):909-914. 909 ID Design 2012/DOOEL Skopje, Republic of Macedonia Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2017 Dec 15; 5(7):909-914. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2017.194 eISSN: 1857-9655 Clinical Science The Predictive Role of Procalcitonin On the Treatment of Intra- Abdominal Infections Dafina Mahmutaj 1* , Shaip Krasniqi 2 , Bedri Braha 1 , Dalip Limani 1 , Burim Neziri 2 1 Clinic of Surgery, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Hospital and University Clinical Service of Kosovo, Prishtina, Kosovo; 2 Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Prishtina, Kosovo Citation: Mahmutaj D, Krasniqi S, Braha B, Limani D, Neziri B. The Predictive Role of Procalcitonin On the Treatment of Intra-Abdominal Infections. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2017 Dec 15; 5(7):909-914. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2017.194 Keywords: intraabdominal infections; procalcitonin; antibiotic; microbiological examination; CRP. *Correspondence: Bedri Braha, MD MsC. Clinic of Surgery, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Hospital and University Clinical Service of Kosovo Prishtina, Kosovo. E-mail: dafinamahmutaj@gmail.com Received: 07-Aug-2017; Revised: 20-Sep-2017; Accepted: 21-Oct-2017; Online first: 24-Nov-2017 Copyright: © 2017 Dafina Mahmutaj, Shaip Krasniqi, Bedri Braha, Dalip Limani, Burim Neziri. This is an open- access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Funding: This research did not receive any financial support. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Abstract Aim: This study aims to evaluate the algorithm of procalcitonin (PCT) and its role on the duration of antibiotics prescription for intra-abdominal infections. Materials and Methods: This study is a prospective controlled study that is conducted in groups of 50 hospitalised patients and 50 controlled group patients. Results: The results indicated that the average duration of antibiotic delivery to the PCT group was -10.6 days (SD ± 6.6 days), while in the control group -13.2 days (SD ± 4.2 days). These data showed a significant difference in the duration of antibiotic therapy and the monitoring role of PCTs in the prediction success of antibiotic treatment. The antibiotic delivery was longer in the septic shock 17 (SD ± 11.7) that corresponds to high PCT values of 67.8 (SD ± 50.9). Recurrence of the infection after the cessation of antibiotics occurred in 2 cases (4%) in the standard group, while it occurred in 3 cases (6%) in the control group. Conclusion: The treatment of the intra-abdominal infections based on the PCT algorithm shortens the duration of antibiotic treatment and does not pose a risk for the recurrence of the infection. Introduction Intra-abdominal infections are a group of diseases with a relatively high degree of mortality and morbidity. Two determinants for the successful treatment of intra-abdominal infections are the identification of the source of the infection and the speed at which the empirical delivery of antibiotics begins, circumstances that reduce the risk of complications and mortality [1]. Reduction of mortality is not possible without effective control of the source of infection [2]. The mortality rate of intra-abdominal infections was about 90% at the end of the 19th century, where management was mostly non- operative. In recent years, surgical intervention in intra-abdominal infections has influenced the control of the source of infection by reducing the mortality rate about 30% in cases of severe sepsis and septic shock [3-5]. Reduction of mortality rate is achieved with the earliest diagnostics of these infections and timely and adequate treatment [6-8]. Antibiotic therapy should start immediately after the intraabdominal infection diagnosis, while the duration of administration of antibiotics is a matter of ongoing discussion and there is still no consensus [8]. Treatment protocols recommend empirical antimicrobial therapy that is effective against the enterococcus, staphylococcus and the candida [6, 7]. If the empirical antibiotic is inadequate, it is followed by failure of treatment, an extension of hospitalisation and death. Non-rational antibiotic delivery leads to increased resistance to antibiotics and the appearance of intrahospital infections [8]. Therefore it is recommended to restrict the use of antibiotics and apply the biomarker algorithm in treatment to monitor the success of antibiotic therapy and discontinuation of their ordination as earliest [9, 10]. In Intensive Care Department, the procalcitonin (PCT) serial measurement can be used as a guide to facilitate the