PCT (blood test). PCT Decoding

Various inflammatory processes can sometimes not be determined without laboratory testing. For this purpose, doctors prescribe clinical, biochemical analyzes of biological materials. Why do I need to take a blood test for PCT?

What is PCT?

In our body, depending on the condition, the content of certain substances, one can determine or refute the presence of any disease. Especially informative blood test in this regard. Another substance that helps to make a correct diagnosis is procalcitonin (PCT), which precedes the formation of calcitonin. In turn, calcitonin is an indicator of calcium metabolism in the body and a substance for diagnosing thyroid cancer.

Procalcitonin is produced by C-cells of the thyroid gland. Due to chemical reactions, PCT is converted into calcitonin. In healthy people, this process occurs almost without residues, that is, PCT does not have time to enter the bloodstream. That is why only traces of this substance are determined in the blood, which show the necessary information about the state of human health.

Unlike the subsequent calcitonin hormone, PCT is necessary for the diagnosis of certain types of infectious diseases or inflammatory processes.

What material is used for analysis?

Analysis for the definition of PCT is considered a general clinical and biochemical study of blood. For this it is necessary to take not capillary, but venous blood. Then, in the blood plasma, the lab technician studies the traces of procalcitonin. To ensure that the results are not distorted, all the conditions for the analysis must be observed.

For what reason does this increase in blood?

An analysis for procalcitonin or PCT is a biochemical study that is important in determining the severity of sepsis and the systemic inflammatory reaction syndrome (CVS).

Procalcitonin is synthesized normally in C-cells of the thyroid gland. To determine the level of this marker in the body, a blood test is performed. Deciphering the PCT is not an easy task for the doctor, as it rises for many pathologies that are life-threatening. Let's consider, at what difficulties with health it above norm.

• Procalcitonin in the blood is elevated for infections that do not have a viral etiology. This phenomenon is evident in bacterial sepsis.
• Serious injuries, burns, surgical interventions give impetus to increase PCT after two to three days.
• In people taking immunosuppressants, as well as other drugs in which anti-inflammatory cytokines are released, a high percentage of procalcitonin is often found.
• In newborns in the first two days after birth, PCT rises. The analysis of blood, decoding, the norm in other babies has no special features.
• A prolonged and severe cardiogenic shock shows elevated figures when tested for this test.
• Disturbances of microcirculation, continuing for a long time, also lead to an increase in the indices of procalcitonin.

In what cases is a blood test done on a PCT?

Specialists resort to a similar study with the following conditions of the body:

• Often a PCT blood test is made, the transcript of which is available only to specialists, for the diagnosis of septic conditions and their severity. It is also indicative of suspicion of severe bacterial infections, fever of unknown etiology.
• Monitoring the results of treatment of sepsis, shock states, the prediction of these pathologies requires the appointment of a study at PCT.
• To diagnose complications of an infectious nature in patients after surgical interventions, organ transplants, during intensive therapy and finding on ventilators, often used for analysis of procalcitonin. For people with diagnoses of "neuroepenia" and "immunodepression," with unidentified diagnoses, the test is of great importance - for their clarification and evaluation of ongoing therapy.
• In the differential diagnosis of infectious and non-infectious diseases, research is sometimes crucial.
• Complications in the form of fungal and bacterial infections will also help to identify this blood test. Decoding the PCT will help determine what is the possible causative agent of a complication.
• Diseases such as pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, peritonitis, may also require the appointment of a study for procalcitonin.

The conditions for submitting an analysis for this indicator

All patients are prescribed a general blood test when they receive and when they go to a medical institution . Decoding PCT, the norm of which depends on the age and health of the patient, is not assigned as often. But research is becoming more popular every day, doctors understand all its importance for clarifying the diagnosis and predicting the future state of the patient.

All biochemical tests are performed on an empty stomach. And procalcitonin is no exception. The analysis should be submitted before 10 am. On the eve it is necessary to refrain from fatty, fried, salty food and alcohol. If possible, exclude the use of medications. If they can not be canceled, it is necessary to say the names of the medicines in the laboratory.

On the day of the analysis, you can drink a glass of water, but no more, since it is a "whimsical" substance, the level of which must be carefully monitored. It is important to take into account the day of the menstrual cycle in women, as the fair sex has certain days when it is most favorable to take blood for the study of the level of hormones. This information can be obtained from the doctor who ordered the analysis.

Decoding of the general blood test PCT

In each study, an important part is the interpretation of the results. Many people often try to diagnose themselves according to the received indicators, but do not hurry to put a cross on yourself. Blood analysis, decoding of PCT are of great importance in diagnosing the severity of the course and the prognosis of septic and other pathological conditions:

• If the indicator is below 0.5 ng / ml, this indicates that there is practically no risk for the development of severe sepsis.
• 0.5-2 ng / ml - the so-called gray zone, coincides with the syndrome of the systemic inflammatory response. But to say with confidence that the patient can develop a severe septic condition, it is impossible. It is recommended to repeat the analysis after six to twenty-four hours.
• If the index of procalcitonin exceeds two ng / ml, then it is possible to suspect CER or severe sepsis.
• Above 10 ng / ml and more is a pronounced SSRM, which is the result of severe sepsis or shock. May lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The risk of death of the patient is very high.

Norms for adults and children

Normally, the concentration of PCT is very small. It is in the range 0,01-0,045 ng / ml. Many clinical and biochemical indicators vary, depending on age and many other factors and circumstances. But this can not be said of the PCT. The analysis of the blood, the decoding of which in children practically does not have any peculiarities, is conducted regardless of age. Unless in newborns the studied indicator rises for several days, but then again comes back to normal.

What is the lower indicator?

It is known that in children who received perinatal dexamethasone, when a PCT blood test is performed, the transcript is "lowered". In adults, it is not possible to determine a decreased procalcitonin index, since its normal values are too low.

What to do if a PCT blood test is performed, the transcript is "upgraded"?

Many people, when they see the discrepancy between the reference values and the actual values in the analysis results, start to panic. But first you need to find out what these meanings mean. In the diagnosis of many severe pathological processes, the blood test (decoding PCT) is of great importance. Elevated levels of procalcitonin may indicate a formidable pathology, such as sepsis, and be a predicted death for the patient.

After the results of the tests become known, it is easier for the physician to select the necessary therapy that can save a person's life. If we are talking about a malignant process, then this study allows us to identify it in the early stages, which makes it possible to more quickly clarify the diagnosis with the help of other studies and undergo the necessary treatment in a timely manner. This increases the chances of recovery.

If the patient enters the hospital with acute pancreatitis, but the indices of blood and urine amylase are extremely high, a study on procalcitonin will confirm pancreatic necrosis or exclude it.

Patients who receive organ transplants and other serious surgical procedures that give high temperature can be tested for PCT to see if a fungal or bacterial infection has joined.

If the patients with a confirmed diagnosis of "sepsis", the indicators are reduced, it indicates the effectiveness of the treatment. Patients who have not increased the level of procalcitonin in the blood, but also does not decrease, have a dubious prognosis. If the indicators, in spite of intensive therapy, not only do not decrease, but also grow, the patient has virtually no chance to survive.

What do you need to consider a specialist when deciphering this indicator?

The reference boundaries in healthy and sick patients may not have significant differences, therefore, when a patient gives a PCT blood test, deciphering this study requires special attention from the specialist. Everything depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. Therefore, when interpreting such indicators, one must be very vigilant, take into account the patient's history and clinical data, as well as other indicators such as a clinical blood test, general urine test, C-reactive protein, oncomarkers.