Procalcitonin for the diagnosis of bacterial infections and the guide to antibiotic treatment in patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic accident

摘要

In vitro procedure for the diagnosis of a bacterial infection in a patient who has suffered an acute stroke or a transient ischemic accident, comprising the following steps: (i) determining the level of procalcitonin (PCT) or a fragment thereof by at least 12 amino acids in length in a sample obtained from a patient less than 72 hours after the onset of acute stroke or transient ischemic attack using a PCT detection assay with functional assay sensitivity less than 0.06 ng / ml; (ii) determining whether said patient has a bacterial infection or not by comparing said PCT level with a predetermined threshold level.