Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review

Background: Infections are a major cause of mortality in haemodialysis patients. The increasing antimicrobial resistance globally further exacerbates this concern. Procalcitonin has shown potential in aiding antimicrobial stewardship and reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with infection...

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Main Authors: Aniebiot-Abasi Udofia, Yiwei Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Kidney and Dialysis
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8236/5/2/24
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author Aniebiot-Abasi Udofia
Yiwei Zhang
author_facet Aniebiot-Abasi Udofia
Yiwei Zhang
author_sort Aniebiot-Abasi Udofia
collection DOAJ
description Background: Infections are a major cause of mortality in haemodialysis patients. The increasing antimicrobial resistance globally further exacerbates this concern. Procalcitonin has shown potential in aiding antimicrobial stewardship and reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with infections. This systematic review aims to synthesise the existing literature on the utility of procalcitonin as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for haemodialysis patients with suspected bacteraemia. Methods: Multiple electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library) were systematically searched to identify primary studies evaluating procalcitonin use in haemodialysis patients with suspected bacteraemia. Using a narrative synthesis approach, along with other quality assessment tools, recommendations regarding procalcitonin usage in dialysis were formulated. Results: Eleven studies were identified. The review proposes a procalcitonin-guided antibiotic protocol aimed at facilitating antibiotic use in haemodialysis patients with suspected bacteraemia. Caution is, however, advised against relying solely on procalcitonin for diagnosis, emphasising the integration of procalcitonin with other clinical and biomarkers of infection. Conclusions: Procalcitonin shows promise as a valuable diagnostic and monitoring tool for suspected bacteraemia in haemodialysis patients. While caution is advised against relying solely on PCT for diagnosis, its integration with other clinical indicators can enhance infection management. To fully establish its clinical utility, more research is needed.
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spelling doaj-art-e8e5cb3392d240e4a60487673fb949ce2025-08-20T03:27:29ZengMDPI AGKidney and Dialysis2673-82362025-06-01522410.3390/kidneydial5020024Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic ReviewAniebiot-Abasi Udofia0Yiwei Zhang1Department of Nephrology, University Hospital of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester LE5 4PW, UKFaculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Wales CF24 0AA, UKBackground: Infections are a major cause of mortality in haemodialysis patients. The increasing antimicrobial resistance globally further exacerbates this concern. Procalcitonin has shown potential in aiding antimicrobial stewardship and reducing the mortality and morbidity associated with infections. This systematic review aims to synthesise the existing literature on the utility of procalcitonin as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for haemodialysis patients with suspected bacteraemia. Methods: Multiple electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library) were systematically searched to identify primary studies evaluating procalcitonin use in haemodialysis patients with suspected bacteraemia. Using a narrative synthesis approach, along with other quality assessment tools, recommendations regarding procalcitonin usage in dialysis were formulated. Results: Eleven studies were identified. The review proposes a procalcitonin-guided antibiotic protocol aimed at facilitating antibiotic use in haemodialysis patients with suspected bacteraemia. Caution is, however, advised against relying solely on procalcitonin for diagnosis, emphasising the integration of procalcitonin with other clinical and biomarkers of infection. Conclusions: Procalcitonin shows promise as a valuable diagnostic and monitoring tool for suspected bacteraemia in haemodialysis patients. While caution is advised against relying solely on PCT for diagnosis, its integration with other clinical indicators can enhance infection management. To fully establish its clinical utility, more research is needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8236/5/2/24bacteraemiahaemodialysisprocalcitoninrenal replacement therapysepsis
spellingShingle Aniebiot-Abasi Udofia
Yiwei Zhang
Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review
Kidney and Dialysis
bacteraemia
haemodialysis
procalcitonin
renal replacement therapy
sepsis
title Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review
title_full Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review
title_fullStr Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review
title_full_unstemmed Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review
title_short Procalcitonin as a Diagnostic and Monitoring Tool for Bacteraemia in Patients on Haemodialysis: A Systematic Review
title_sort procalcitonin as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for bacteraemia in patients on haemodialysis a systematic review
topic bacteraemia
haemodialysis
procalcitonin
renal replacement therapy
sepsis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8236/5/2/24
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