Guide

Assessing bacterial coinfection risk in COVID-19 patients using procalcitonin

PCT has been shown to be a valuable tool in the COVID-19 pandemic, providing valuable information that can aid in early risk assessment.

PCT Guide mockup

What you need to know about COVID-19 and PCT. Download the guide today.

View our privacy policy

Have a question? Talk to sales.

From the guide The link between PCT and COVID-19

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker widely used to assess risk in the setting of bacterial infection and progression to severe sepsis and septic shock in conjunction with other laboratory findings and clinical assessment. Procalcitonin has also been shown to be a valuable tool in the current COVID-19 pandemic as it can be used as an aid in early identification of patients at risk of 28-day mortality after diagnosis with severe sepsis due to bacterial coinfection. 1-6

Download the guide to learn more about the benefits of using PCT, including how to aid in the antibiotic decision-making process.

PCT Literature compendium graph

Increased procalcitonin values are associated with a nearly 5-fold higher risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection. 7


  • Huang C et al: Lancet 2020; 395: 497-506
  • Guan W. et al., NEJM 28 Feb 2020, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2002032
  • Zhou et al., Lancet , March 9, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30566-3
  • Chen N. et al., Lancet 2020; 395: 507-13
  • Xiao-Wei, X. et al., BMJ (Online); London 2020, 368 (Feb 19, 2020).DOI:10.1136/bmj.m606
  • Huang Y et al., medRxiv preprint 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.27.20029009
  • Lippi G. & Plebani M., Clin Chim Acta 2020, March 4, DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.03.004