We found a significant association between PCT levels and organ dysfunction as assessed by the SOFA score. Similar observations were reported by Meisner et al. [30] and by Schroder et al. in surgical critically ill patients [31] . Hedlund et al. showed that the severity of disease measured by the APACHE II score was strongly associated with admission levels of PCT in 96 adult patients with CAP [32] . In 110 patients with CAP, Boussekey et al. found higher PCT levels in bacteremic patients and/or septic shock patients (4.9 ng/ml vs. 1.5 ng/ml) and in patients who developed infection-related complications (septic shock, multiorgan dysfunction, acute respiratory distress syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation) during their ICU stay [33] .