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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
07:14
Detection and Quantification of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) in Human Plasma Using a Modified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Published on: June 16, 2023
Role of Procalcitonin in Respiratory Infections
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Puducherry, India.
Annals of African Medicine
|July 12, 2026
Summary
Procalcitonin aids in diagnosing bacterial respiratory infections, guiding antibiotic use, and improving patient outcomes. This biomarker supports antimicrobial stewardship by reducing unnecessary antibiotic exposure.
Area of Science:
- Biomarker research and clinical diagnostics
- Infectious disease management
- Antimicrobial resistance strategies
Background:
- Respiratory infections are a major global health concern, causing significant morbidity and mortality.
- Distinguishing bacterial from viral infections is crucial for appropriate antibiotic use and combating antimicrobial resistance.
- Procalcitonin shows promise as a biomarker for systemic bacterial infections and inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of procalcitonin in diagnosing, prognosing, and guiding antibiotic stewardship for respiratory infections.
- To assess procalcitonin's utility in differentiating infection types and informing treatment decisions.
- To evaluate the impact of procalcitonin-guided strategies on antibiotic use and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A narrative review of studies from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar.
- Inclusion of clinical trials, observational studies, guidelines, and reviews on procalcitonin's utility in respiratory infections.
- Exclusion of studies lacking clinical relevance or focusing on nonrespiratory conditions.
Main Results:
- Procalcitonin levels are elevated in bacterial infections and low in viral infections or noninfectious inflammation.
- Procalcitonin effectively differentiates bacterial from viral respiratory infections, guiding antibiotic therapy initiation and discontinuation.
- Procalcitonin-guided strategies improve antibiotic stewardship in conditions like pneumonia and sepsis without compromising patient outcomes.
- Procalcitonin may offer prognostic value, correlating with disease severity and complication risk.
Conclusions:
- Procalcitonin is a valuable biomarker for managing respiratory infections, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and clinical decision-making.
- Integrating procalcitonin into clinical protocols supports antimicrobial stewardship and optimizes antibiotic therapy.
- Wider accessibility and standardization of procalcitonin testing are needed for broader clinical adoption.
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