Objective  To explore the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT), lactic acid (Lac) and endotoxin (LPS) detection in evaluating the progress of disease and prognosis in patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis.

  Methods  The clinical materials of 90 patients with severe pneumonia complicated with sepsis were retrospectively analyzed. After hospital admission, all the patients were evaluated by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Score (APACHE Ⅱ). The patients were conducted with evaluation of divided into sepsis group (n=37), severe sepsis group (n=35) and septic shock group (n=18) according to severity of disease, and they were also divided into survival group (n=74) and death group (n=16) according to the prognosis. Serum PCT, Lac and LPS levels were measured within 24 hours after ICU admission, and the differences among the three groups were compared. Pearson method was used to analyze the correlations between serum PCT, Lac, endotoxin level and APACHE Ⅱscore.

  Results  There were significant differences in levels of PCT, Lac and LPS among three groups (P < 0.05). Serum PCT, Lac and LPS levels in survival group were significantly lower than those in death group (P < 0.05). Serum PCT, Lac and LPS levels in severe pneumonia patients with sepsis were positively correlated with APACHE Ⅱscores on hospital admission (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Early detections of serum PCT, Lac and LPS levels are of great significance in evaluating the progress of disease in severe pneumonia patients complicated with sepsis, guiding clinical intervention and improving prognosis.