Procalcitonin Testing of Critically Ill Patients

In a retrospective study, procalcitonin testing on the first day of intensive care was associated with reduced length of stay, less antibiotic exposure, and reduced costs.

In patients with suspected sepsis, procalcitonin (PCT) testing has proved useful for discriminating between bacterial infections and other causes of elevated inflammatory parameters. Moreover, in patients with known infection, PCT testing has been shown to allow for less antibiotic use without compromising outcomes. To investigate the effect on healthcare use and costs of early PCT testing in intensive care in patients with suspected or documented sepsis, researchers analyzed a large administrative database representative of the U.S. general population that included >15 million discharges of 550 U.S. hospitals between January 2011 and May 2014.

The researchers retrospectively compared 33,569 patients who had PCT testing on the first intensiv…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Procalcitonin Testing of Critically Ill Patients

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Reviewing Author