[Possible use of serum calcitonin in septic patients at risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome].

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a late complication in critically ill patients and its diagnosis is usually made when the syndrome is fully established. There is an increased interest in developing early markers that may help to identify ARDS in its initial stages. Calcitonin was recently reported as a useful serum marker to identify burned patients at risk for respiratory failure. We report a case with abdominal sepsis and ARDS, whose serum calcitonin level was 1000 pg/mL without other known clinical causes of hypercalcitoninemia and who died in multiorganic failure. The possible mechanisms of hypercalcitoninemia and its possible utility as marker of ARDS in critically ill patients is discussed.