Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 18, 2025
Evaluation of a Reliable Biomarker in a Cecal Ligation and Puncture-Induced Mouse Model of Sepsis
Published on: December 9, 2022
Biomarkers in sepsis: can they help improve patient outcome?
Evdoxia Kyriazopoulou1, Garyfallia Poulakou2, Evangelos J Giamarellos-Bourboulis1
14th Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital.
Purpose Of Review:
Biomarkers, mainly procalcitonin, are commonly used in sepsis diagnosis, prognosis and treatment follow-up. This review summarizes the potential benefit of their use for the critically ill.
Recent Findings:
Increased clinical evidence from randomized clinical trials of biomarker-guided treatment suggests a trend for appropriate but short antimicrobial treatment for the critically ill. Procalcitonin (PCT) is the most studied biomarker; in the majority of randomized clinical trials, the use of a stopping rule of antibiotics on the day when PCT is below 80% from baseline or less than 0.5 ng/ml was proven effective to reduce length of antimicrobial treatment, antibiotic-associated adverse events and infectious complications like infections by multidrug-resistant organisms and Clostridium difficile. Survival benefit was also noted.
Summary:
Biomarkers, mainly PCT, may help improve sepsis outcome by restriction of injudicious antimicrobial use.
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