View clinical trials related to Procalcitonin.
Filter by:Recently, it has been seen that investigations from saliva samples could be an alternative to those from blood samples. Saliva collection is a simple, non-invasive, cost-effective, and relatively easy method, making it potentially suitable as a new diagnostic tool in pediatric patients. In the current literature, elevated levels of saliva CRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and IFN-γ have been reported in inflammatory conditions. However, while there are animal studies suggesting the use of saliva PCT levels for focal diseases such as gingival inflammation and periodontitis and as a potential tool for non-invasive detection of sepsis, there is no human study regarding its use in systemic infections. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between serum PCT levels and saliva PCT levels in children suspected of SBE and to determine the diagnostic value of saliva PCT.
Procalcitonin is a protein consisting of 116 amino-acids which can rapidly rise under inflammatory conditions and sepsis. More than 20 years ago it has been shown that dipeptidylpeptidase-4 (DPP-4) cleaves procalcitonin from the n-terminus, resulting in a truncated procalcitonin-variant which consists of 114 aminoacids. Within our workgroup we found that the truncated procalcitonin-variant had deleterious effects on vascular integrity during sepsis in mice. However, it is unknown if this applies also in humans. By using an ELISA-assay we want to examine the ratio between native and truncated human procalcitonin during diseases accompanied with hyperprocalcitoninemia and correlate the results with clinical data.
Although the recent literature is building a remarkable background to answer the many unknowns related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is absolutely necessary to finalize every clinical effort to collect data that may be useful, in a short time, to improve our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Numerous biomarkers have been evaluated in the recent literature as being altered in patients with severe forms of COVID-19. Particularly, in the critical care area, the research of early predictors of mortality is essential for high-flow management of patients requiring invasive assisted ventilation and requiring invasive and non-invasive assisted ventilation, hemodynamic support, sometimes extracorporeal support (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, ECMO). The coordinated study of different biomarkers, in particular, if combined with each other, possibly even to constitute a possible score, could guide the correct allocation of patients between hospital departments and the appropriate management in intensive care units. appropriate management in intensive care units, as well as providing an early prognostic indication. prognostic indication. The combination of these biomarkers with routine clinical and laboratory data may further provide valuable information about their use in acute care and as progressive acute and as progressive monitoring over time. Regarding the data of interest on the clinical trend, the evaluation of the respiratory support modalities, from the administration of oxygen therapy (by nasal cannulae or Venturi mask, or by high flow system - High Flow Nasal Cannula, HFNC), to CPAP support or by non-invasive or invasive ventilation, appears of particular importance. Therefore, the present study will be conducted in sub-intensive as well as intensive care units, in order to evaluate different types of patients, and their possible evolution over time. The comparison between the populations belonging to different areas of intensity of care will be able to describe the different populations. Data analysis will allow an evaluation of possible risk factors and prognostic determinants of the severity of the disease and its infectious complications.
Current antibiotic prescription for patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is generally based on the Anthonisen criteria in The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) guideline, that has a potential risk of antibiotics overuse. The dilemma is to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from antibiotics while avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use. Procalcitonin (PCT), a more sensitive and specific biomarker of bacterial infection than other conventional laboratory tests, has the potential to determine those patients in whom antibiotics would be beneficial. It is unclear whether PCT-guided antibiotic therapy is safe and effective for inpatients with AECOPD. The investigators aim to conduct a 2-arm, multicenter randomized controlled trial in China to determine whether PCT-guided antibiotic therapy will reduce the antibiotic prescription rate for AECOPD without negatively impacting the treatment success rate, compared with the GOLD guideline antibiotic recommendations.
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of serum values of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate to predict postoperative complications in the early postoperative period after open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
Association between plasma procalcitonin levels and positive blood cultures in critical illness patients in the ICU.
The timely use of antibiotics can reduce morbidity and mortality associated with bacterial infections, particularly in the intensive care unit setting (ICU). Long courses of antibiotics, however, are associated with the emergence of multi-drug resistant organisms and antibiotic-associated adverse events, such as C. difficile infections. Thus, antibiotic de-escalation is an important goal of antimicrobial stewardship programs. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been investigated as a biomarker for critically ill adult patients with bacterial infection, particularly pneumonia and sepsis. The proposed project will evaluate whether a PCT testing and treatment algorithm, implemented through daily antimicrobial stewardship audit and feedback, can promote early and safe antibiotic de-escalation in the pediatric ICU.
The investigators' objective is to compare the risk of treatment failure* in children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with sepsis and managed by procalcitonin guided therapy for stopping of antibiotics ('PCT- guided therapy' group) with those managed with standard practices based on the evidence based guidelines ('control' group). Children with suspected or proven sepsis will be randomized to the PCT guided group or the standard practices group and will be followed up for the outcome measures that include treatment failure and mortality. The investigators plan to enroll 560 patients over a period of 3 years. The investigators believe that the proposed study will provide the answer to reducing unnecessary antibiotic usage in the PICU without causing any harm to the patient in the form of treatment failure and/or mortality.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of procalcitonin test for differentiation of the cause of pneumonia in patients with cancer.
To explore effectiveness of procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy in acute exacerbations of bronchiectasis, and to explore the clinical value of procalcitonin in bronchiectasis.