CON: Procalcitonin does not have clinical utility in children with community-acquired pneumonia.

Abstract

Most clinical studies supporting procalcitonin (PCT)-guided management of lower respiratory tract infections have been performed in adults. There is a paucity of studies evaluating the clinical impact of PCT use in children and limited data informing age-appropriate PCT cut-offs; diagnostic accuracy in immunocompromised children; patient subgroups most likely to benefit from PCT testing; whether PCT adds value beyond available rapid molecular viral diagnostics; and optimal implementation strategies for PCT-guided treatment. At the present time there is little evidence to support routine use of PCT to aid management of paediatric pneumonia.

• Authors: Ritu Banerjee
• Journal: JAC-antimicrobial resistance (JAC Antimicrob Resist) Vol. 3 Issue 4 Pg. dlab152 (Dec 2021) ISSN: 2632-1823 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 34704032 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.