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.