HUBI PCT is one step in vitro diagnostic test based on immunochromatography. It must be used with HUBI QUAN pro and designed for quantitative détermination of Procalcitonin (PCT) in human sérum or plasma or whole blood.
Procalcitonin(PCT) is composed of 116 amino acids, peptide precursor of the hormone calcitonin, produced by parafollicular cells (C cells) of the thyroid and by the neuroendocrine cells of the lung and the intestine. In healthy people, PCT concentrations of plasma are found to be below 0.01 ng/mL, but PCT can be increased during systemic bacterial infection and sepsis.
When plasma PCT values are below 0.5 ng/mL, bacterial sepsis is not likely. In patients with suspected sepsis, plasma PCT levels are slightly elevated between 0.5 and 2 ng/mL. PCT concentration in sepsis are generally greater than 1~2 ng/mL and often reach values 10 ng/mL. PCT levels higher than 2 ng/mL are indicated that an increased likelihood of the presence of bacterial sepsis, unless other conditions for induction are known. PCT values of between 2 and 10 ng/mL means that status of patients are severe systemic inflammatory response, most likely due to bacterial infection. When PCT values are over 10 ng/mL, important systemic inflammatory response almost exclusively due to severe bacterial sepsis or septic shock is caused.
Consequently, in vitro determination of PCT can be efficiently used not only for diagnosis of bacterial infection, but also to monitor the course and prognosis of clinically relevant bacterial infections and sepsis and to control the therapeutic interventions.