Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

First Advisor

Jeanie McHugo

Keywords

Procalcitonin, Sepsis, Procalcitonin-guided, PCT, Antibiotic Treatment

Abstract

Infection due to bacterial source is the leading pathology in most cases of acute sepsis, a lifethreatening condition. Sepsis treatment requires admission and swift action with intravenous fluids and antibacterials in order to achieve favorable outcomes. However, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy may also precipitate a poor outcome. Termination of antibiotic treatment too early may lead to persistent or recurrent infection while prolonged use may lead to opportunistic infections such as those associated with hospital admission. Procalcitonin, a biomarker useful in early identification of bacterial infection, has also been examined as an analyte in algorithmic antibiotic decision-making. The purpose of this literature review is to assess the effectiveness of procalcitonin-guided decision-making and its safety in sepsis treatment. The electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched and seven studies within the past six years were identified to have evaluated this method of decision-making. The findings of these studies were inconclusive in identifying a consistently significant result of procalcitonin to reduce antibiotic duration. However, findings were suggestive that procalcitonin could have a valuable role in safely reducing antibiotic duration in sepsis treatment and that further research into algorithmic decision-making is warranted.

Comments

Note: this is a corrected draft of the student work, not the final version

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