Plasma pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in patients admitted to emergency room with suspected infection stratified by diagnosis groups (N = 537).

aSIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome): At least two of the following conditions. 1. Temperature >38°C OR 90 beats per minute. 3. Respiratory rate >20 breaths per minute or PaCO212×109/l or 9/l or >10% immature (band) forms).bDocumented bacterial infection: Microbiologically confirmed bacterial infection (either pathogenic bacterial growth in blood culture or in normally sterile tissue or the same usually less pathogenic bacterium (e.g. Staphylococcus epidermidis) in two different samples).cProbable bacterial infection: A clinician suspected bacterial infection and either infection focus was confirmed or antimicrobial treatment was started and the response to treatment supported bacterial infection.Differences between the five groups were studied using Kruskal-Wallis test (p