Evaluation of Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic Biomarker in Pediatric Infections: Implications for Antibiotic Stewardship

¹ Department of Pathological Analysis, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq
^2,3 Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Kufa, Najaf, Iraq

^* Corresponding author: nabeel.tuwaij@uokufa.edu.iq

Abstract

This study explores the utility of Procalcitonin (PCT) as a biomarker for distinguishing between bacterial and viral infections in pediatric patients less than six years. The study was constructed of 160 clinical specimens taken from pediatric patients (72 female and 88 male) who presented with bloodstream and respiratory tract infections, their CRP result was positive, and on that basis, the doctors prescribed antibiotics for them. The study was performed on those specimens using PCT levels as infection biomarker to evaluate their need to treatment with antibiotic. The PCT levels were divided into 5 ranges: <0.25, 0.25-0.5, 0.5-2, 2-10, and >10. In the female group, the numbers and percentages of patients in each PCT category were as follows: 34 patients (43.59%) had PCT < 0.25, 10 patients (12.82%) had PCT 0.25 - 0.5, 13 patients (16.67%) had PCT 0.5 - 2, 7 patients (8.97%) had PCT 2 - 10, and 14 patients (17.95%) had PCT > 10. In the male group, the distribution was slightly different: 36 patients (43.90%) had PCT < 0.25, 6 patients (7.32%) had PCT 0.25 - 0.5, 17 patients (20.73%) had PCT 0.5 - 2, 4 patients (4.88%) had PCT 2 - 10, and 19 patients (23.17%) had PCT > 10. Regarding PCT < 0.25 ng/mL this category includes 42.94% of the patients, reflecting those with PCT levels below the threshold where antibiotics are typically discontinued and this step was very important because this mean that 42.94% were using antibiotics inappropriately.