title: [Procalcitonin as biomarker for infections].
abstract: - Inappropriate use of antibiotics in patients without bacterial infection contributes significantly to worldwide antibiotic resistance.- The goal of this review is to summarise evidence from randomised trials investigating the value of the biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) in patients with symptoms of a bacterial infection in the emergency department (ED) and intensive care (IC).- In patients with a lower respiratory infection in the ED, RCTs demonstrate that withholding or shortening of antibiotic treatment in patients with low PCT levels does not lead to a change in clinical outcome. Similar results were observed in IC patients, where a reduction in PCT level indicates that antibiotics can be discontinued sooner.- In conclusion, initiating and discontinuing antibiotics in ED and IC patients based on PCT levels is safe, appears cost-saving and leads to a reduction in antibiotic use due to fewer antibiotics prescriptions and shortened courses.
authors.affiliation: UMC Utrecht, Utrecht.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Jonge
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: de Lange
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Bij de Vaate
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Arends
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D002116:Calcitonin