Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

How to Administer Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Critically ill Neonates, Infants, and Children
07:27

How to Administer Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Critically ill Neonates, Infants, and Children

Published on: August 19, 2020

12.6K

Procalcitonin kinetics in critically ill children: impact of continuous kidney replacement therapy modality and dose

Arife Ufacık Yöndem1, Servet Yüce2, Emrullah Aygüler3

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
|February 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

In critically ill children on continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT), procalcitonin (PCT) levels do not significantly change due to CKRT itself. PCT reliably reflects infection or inflammation during early pediatric CKRT.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
  • Nephrology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Acute kidney injury (AKI) is prevalent in critically ill children, often requiring continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT).
  • Procalcitonin (PCT) is a key infection biomarker, but its behavior during pediatric CKRT is not well understood.
  • Limited and inconsistent adult data exist on PCT clearance by extracorporeal circuits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the short-term kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT) in critically ill children undergoing continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT).
  • To determine if CKRT parameters influence PCT levels in pediatric patients.
  • To assess the reliability of PCT for infection monitoring in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective observational study of 40 critically ill children receiving CKRT.
  • Serum PCT levels measured at CKRT initiation, 12 hours, and 24 hours.
  • Analysis of PCT kinetics in relation to CKRT modality, effluent dose, and membrane type.

Main Results:

  • Median PCT levels showed no statistically significant changes from CKRT initiation to 24 hours (p=0.68).
  • PCT trajectories were independent of CKRT modality, effluent dose, or membrane type.
  • No correlation was observed between effluent dose and PCT changes.

Conclusions:

  • Short-term PCT dynamics in pediatric CKRT are primarily influenced by underlying sepsis or inflammation, not CKRT parameters.
  • PCT reliably supports infection monitoring and antibiotic stewardship during the initial phase of pediatric CKRT.
  • Further research is needed to explore long-term PCT behavior and prognostic value in this context.
Abstract

Keywords:
Acute kidney injuryContinuous kidney replacement therapyCritically ill childrenPediatric intensive careProcalcitoninSepsis

More Related Videos

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques08:05

Measuring Statistical Learning Across Modalities and Domains in School-Aged Children Via an Online Platform and Neuroimaging Techniques

Published on: June 30, 2020

8.1K
Positron Emission Tomography-based Dose Painting Radiation Therapy in a Glioblastoma Rat Model using the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform07:57

Positron Emission Tomography-based Dose Painting Radiation Therapy in a Glioblastoma Rat Model using the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform

Published on: March 24, 2022

3.2K

Related Concept Videos

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy01:30

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy, also known as CRRT, is a procedural treatment for acute kidney injury (AKI) that gradually removes uremic toxins and fluids while maintaining acid-base balance and stabilizing electrolytes. It is particularly useful for hemodynamically unstable patients. Unlike intermittent hemodialysis, which is faster, CRRT provides a gentler approach over 24 hours, closely mimicking the function of natural kidneys. However, CRRT is not ideal for patients with...
1.1K
Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy01:26

Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) is an essential intervention for patients experiencing severe kidney dysfunction. This therapy offers a continuous mechanism for removing fluids and toxins from the bloodstream, leveraging the patient’s blood pressure to facilitate filtration through a specialized filter. This method contrasts with intermittent dialysis, providing a gentler and more consistent removal of waste products and excess fluid, which is particularly beneficial in...
232
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
324
Kinetic Energy00:23

Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is the ability of an object in motion to do work or enact change. It can take on many forms. For instance, water flowing down a waterfall has kinetic energy. In biological systems, particles of light travel and are absorbed by plants to create chemical energy. Animals consume the chemical energy and give off molecules that carry their scent through the air. They also generate kinetic energy when they run away from predators. Entire systems also possess kinetic energy, like the...
43.6K
Sensory Modalities01:15

Sensory Modalities

Sensation typically is the process by which the sensory receptors and sense organs detect stimuli from the internal and external environment and transmit this information to the central nervous system for processing.
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...
4.0K
Enzyme Kinetics01:19

Enzyme Kinetics

Enzymes speed up reactions by lowering the activation energy of the reactants. The speed at which the enzyme turns reactants into products is called the rate of reaction. Several factors impact the rate of reaction, including the number of available reactants. Enzyme kinetics is the study of how an enzyme changes the rate of a reaction.
Scientists typically study enzyme kinetics with a fixed amount of enzyme in the controlled environment of a test tube. When more reactant, or substrate, is...
104.4K