Made up of a protein structure containing 116 amino acids, procalcitonin acts as a substrate for production of calcitonin – a hormone responsible for producing C-cells of the thyroid gland and ...

Objective: Procalcitonin has emerged as a promising infection marker, but previous reports from small-sized studies suggest nonspecific elevation of procalcitonin after pediatric heart surgery. As ...

A study published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases claims that high adherence to procalcitonin-guided antibiotic prescribing guidelines is necessary to reduce antibiotic use in patients with ...

In 14 U.S. hospitals with high adherence to quality measures for the treatment of pneumonia, we provided guidance for clinicians about national clinical practice recommendations for the treatment of ...

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are among the most common reasons for antibiotic prescription in primary care. A test that can differentiate between bacterial and viral RTIs could help to reduce ...

Procalcitonin test demand from the emergency department is growing, necessitating the implementation of strategies to address overuse. Successful interventions must be based on information technology.

This Journal feature begins with a case vignette highlighting a common clinical problem. Evidence supporting various strategies is then presented, followed by a review of formal guidelines, when they ...

Offering many advantages over current diagnostic tests for bacterial infection, measurement of circulatory procalcitonin (PCT) represents a method of realizing effective antibiotic stewardship in the ...