title: Procalcitonin in pediatrics.
abstract: Over the past two decades, the body of literature on the clinical usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) in adults has grown rapidly. Although this approach has led to increased insight, it has also prompted debate regarding its potential use in diagnosis and management of severe infection. Clinicians, however, are less familiar with the use of PCT in pediatric populations. In this review, we examine PCT as a marker of severe clinical pediatric conditions including its role in systemic inflammation, infection, and sepsis.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Lucia
authors: L
authors: Pacifico
authors: John F
authors: JF
authors: Osborn
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Natale
authors: Flavia
authors: F
authors: Ferraro
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: De Curtis
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Chiesa
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008581:Meningitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide