6533b7d6fe1ef96bd1265d2b

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Procalcitonin and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children

Bellia ChiaraBivona GiuliaScazzone ConcettaAgnello LuisaLo Sasso BrunaCiaccio Marcello

subject

Calcitoninmedicine.medical_specialtyCommunity-acquired pneumoniaCalcitonin Gene-Related PeptideClinical BiochemistryCochrane LibraryBiochemistryProcalcitoninSepsisCommunity-acquired pneumoniamedicineHumansProtein PrecursorsChildIntensive care medicineChildrenCause of deathPediatric CAPbusiness.industryBiochemistry (medical)BiomarkerGeneral MedicinePneumonia Pneumococcalmedicine.diseaseAnti-Bacterial AgentsCommunity-Acquired InfectionsBiomarkers; Children; Community-acquired pneumonia; PCT; Pediatric CAP; ProcalcitoninPneumoniaPneumococcal infectionsBiomarker (medicine)PCTbusinessProcalcitoninBiomarkershormones hormone substitutes and hormone antagonists

description

The role of procalcitonin (PCT) as a biomarker for sepsis in adults is well documented, while its role in infections affecting neonatal children remains controversial. Among these infections, Community-Acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been studied extensively, because it's the second cause of death in children in developing countries, and one of the most frequent causes of hospitalization in industrialized countries. The PubMed database and the Cochrane Library were used to search for the following keywords: CAP, procalcitonin, and children. Thirteen articles were studied to determine the role of PCT in CAP management, specifically its usefulness for distinguishing pneumococcal infections from viral and unknown infections, for predicting severity and the correct antibiotic treatment. This paper focuses on the studies performed to identify the best inflammatory biomarker for CAP management. Although there is an increase in studies confirming the usefulness of PCT in CAP management in children, further studies are needed to have better understanding of its role for pediatric CAP management.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2015-01-01Clinica Chimica Acta
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2015.09.031