PROCALCITONIN - A NEW DIAGNOSTIC PARAMETER FOR SEVERE INFECTION AND SEPSIS

Procalcitonin (PCT),a glycoprotein consisting of 116 amino acids, has been proposed as a new marker of severe infection. The site of product ion under this condition remains unknown. The serum PCT concentration is determined by an immunoluminometric assay of 40 mu l serum or plasm a requiring approximately two hours. Elevations of PCT are for instanc e associated with levels of lipopolysaccharide and the cytokines TNF-a lpha and IL-6. Bacterial, parasitic or fungal infections developing se ptic complications in contrast to local infections, often show values exceeding 2 ng/ml. The specificity of the parameter in this context in creases with its concentrations. Therapeutic actions that confine the infection locally are reflected by a decrease of the PCT value. PCT ma y be elevated within the first days after extended surgery or polytrau ma, in some malignancies, heatstroke and during treatment of some hema tologic diseases without an existing sepsis or severe infection. Previ ous studies indicate certain benefits of PCT compared to traditional m arkers of inflammation or sepsis, where the ability to indicate a gene ralized infection is the primary advantage.