Useful For

The Procalcitonin assay is intended for use in determining the change in PCT over time as an aid in assessing the cumulative 28-day risk of all-cause mortality for patients diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock in the ICU or when obtained in the emergency department or other medical wards prior to ICU admission.

Increased PCT levels may not always be related to systemic infection.  These include, but are not limited to:

• Patients experiencing major trauma and/or recent surgical procedure including extracorporeal circulation or burns.
• Patients undergoing treatment with OKT3 antibodies, OS-432, interleukins, TNF-alpha and other drugs that stimulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines or result in anaphylaxis.
• Patients diagnosed with active medullary C-carcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma or bronchial carcinoid.
• Patients with acute or chronic viral hepatitis and/or decompensated severe liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh Class C).
• Patients with prolonged or severe cardiogenic shock, prolonged severe organ perfusion anomalies or after resuscitation from cardiac arrest.
• Patients receiving peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis treatment.
• Patients with biliary pancreatitis, chemical pneumonitis or heat stroke.
• Patients with invasive fungal infections (e.g. candidiasis, aspergillosis) or acute attacks of plasmodium falciparum malaria.
• Neonates during the first 2 days of life.