Procalcitonin: A Novel Sepsis Biomarker

Abstract

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of mortality in critically ill patients despite the use of broad spectrum antibiotics and
fluid resuscitation therapies. Microbiological culture requires time and is not positive in fifty percent of sepsis patients.
Biomarkers can play an important role in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis and thus reducing mortality rate. Various
traditional markers are available for the diagnosis of bacterial infection but their results are often misleading. Procalcitonin has
recently been proposed as a marker of bacterial infection. Its level increases in cases of sepsis, septic shock and in severe
inflammatory reactions. Procalcitonin measurement has been claimed as a helpful marker in bacterial infection and sepsis. In this
mini review we have tried to briefly describe the importance of procalcitonin as a sepsis marker.