Point-of-care procalcitonin trends in suspected neonatal late-onset infection: a prospective observational study

• Published in: Pediatric research 2024-10
• Main Authors: Armstrong, Sean J, Brady, Jennifer J, Drew, Richard J, Foran, Adrienne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0031-3998; 1530-0447; 1530-0447
• DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03670-x

Procalcitonin-guided antimicrobial decision-making has been shown to be safe in adult intensive care settings. Most antimicrobial exposure in neonatal units is in culture-negative conditions. We hypothesise that Procalcitonin aids antimicrobial stewardship efforts in suspected Late-Onset Neonatal Sepsis. Neonates were enrolled if they were aged over 72 h and were placed on antibiotics for a suspected infection. Procalcitonin levels were taken at set timepoints for the duration of antimicrobial exposure. Three subgroups were created: non-infectious episodes, blood culture-negative infectious episodes, and bloodstream infections. Eighty-five suspected infectious episodes were recruited across two tertiary neonatal and paediatric intensive care units. There was a significant difference between the median PCT in bloodstream infections (BSI) compared to non-infectious episodes (2.13 versus 0.26 µg/L, p