• The advantages of PCT testing

    Sepsis is caused by an over-reactive immune response to blood-borne infection and leads to widespread inflammation.  Without timely and effective treatment, sepsis can cause tissue damage, organ failure, and death.

    Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker that offers advantages over other testing methods:

    • Higher specificity for bacterial infections 1-4
    • Rises within 3-6 hours after infectious challenge 5
    • Rapidly and reliably declines as septic infection resolves 4,5,6,7

    PCT supports responsible antibiotic use

    • The ability of PCT to differentiate bacterial from viral infection allows for more appropriate administration of antibiotics
    • Monitoring PCT improves patient management and treatment

    Enhance Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTI) management

    • Distinguishing between bacterial and viral infections is challenging- especially in LRTI. 
    • Limitations exist with current testing procedures

  • Brochures

     

    abx                       ltri

  • References

    1. Muller B, Becker KL, Schachinger H, et al. Calcitonin precursors are reliable markers of sepsis in a medical intensive care  unit. Crit Care Med. 2000;28(4):977-983.
    2. Clec’h C, Ferriere F, Karoubi P, et al. Diagnostic and prognostic value of procalcitonin in patients with septic shock. Crit Care Med. 2004;32(5):1166-1169.
    3. Meisner M. Update on procalcitonin measurements. Ann Lab Med. 2014;34(4):263-273.
    4. Harbarth S, Holeckova K, Pittet D, Ricou B, Grau GE, Vadas L. and Interleukin-8 in Critically Ill Patients Admitted. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2001;164:396-402.
    5. Brunkhorst FM, Heinz U, Forycki ZF. Kinetics of procalcitonin in iatrogenic sepsis. Intensive Care Med. 1998;24(8):888-889.
    6. Ball J, Venn R. The 21st International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Brussels, Belgium, 20-23 March 2001. Crit Care. 2001;5(3):138-141.
    7. Soni NJ, Samson DJ, Galaydick JL, et al. Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hosp Med. 2013;8(9):530-540.

     

    Reagent developed in collaboration with B•R•A•H•M•S GmbH.
    B•R•A•H•M•S PCT is a registered trademark of B•R•A•H•M•S GmbH.