The Use of the Biomarker Procalcitonin in Pediatric Cardiovascular Disorders

Abstract

We highlight the recent data investigating the use of the biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) in several clinical scenarios involving children with cardiovascular disorders. The diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic uses of PCT are discussed. Limited pediatric-specific data, but substantial adult studies have described the use of PCT in 4 clinical scenarios: infection after cardiac surgery, heart failure and respiratory illness, infective endocarditis, and cardiac arrest. Procalcitonin is a biomarker with increasing utility in pediatric cardiovascular illness. Procalcitonin has successfully been shown useful in detecting bacterial infection after cardiac surgery, differentiating heart failure from respiratory infections, aiding the rapid diagnosis of infective endocarditis, and prognosticating patient outcomes after cardiac arrest. It also seems to perform superiorly to other inflammatory markers in these settings as well. A better understanding of the utility of PCT monitoring could help clinicians make more rapid and accurate clinical decisions.