Procalcitonin; appraisal of a useful tool for antimicrobial therapy-a chemical pathologist’s perspective

Abstract

Procalcitonin is a peptide with 116amino-acid sequence and precursor of the hormone calcitonin. It is an acute phase protein whose plasma level evaluation has found clinical application in the diagnosis of bacterial infections and consequently differentiation from viral infections. It has been shown to possess better diagnostic indices than other potential biomarkers in this regard such as C-reactive protein. The afore mentioned utility of Procalcitonin (PCT) carries a lot of associated benefits which include reduction in misuse of antibiotics with the consequent outcome of antibiotic resistance, lesser cost of care, decrease in hospital stay and overall morbidity and mortality. Unlike in the developed world where it has found widespread utilization, PCT is yet to be applied in similar fashion in our country. Reasons for the above scenario have not been scientifically investigated and documented leaving just hypothetical assumptions. In this short review, I tried to speculate on the possible hypotheses.