title: Procalcitonin, a new indicator for non-viral infections in heart, lung or liver transplant patients.
abstract: PCT is a highly specific analyse which shows significant diagnostic validities when non-viral infections are compared with rejection episodes. PCT discriminates inflammatory events such as rejection or viral infections and non-viral infections including bacterial, fungal and protozoal infections. The half-life of PCT is 24 h indicating a clearly competent antibiotic treatment. PCT provides vital information early to clinicians and allows them to improve the management of bacterial/fungal infection in immunocompromised transplant patients. PCT thus facilitates and improves the outcome of survival rate and the quality of life in the postoperative period of patients with heart, lung or liver grafts.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Surgical Research, Klinikum Grosshadern, LM-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fraunberger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meiser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stangl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seidel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hammer
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009181:Mycoses / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide