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Test Code RMCPROCALC Procalcitonin (PCT)*

Performing Laboratory

Rutland Regional Medical Center Laboratory

Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: Serum
Container/Tube:

Preferred:  Light-green top (lithium heparin gel)

Acceptable:   Lavender EDTA

Specimen Volume: 5 mL of blood

Specimen Minimum Volume: 1 mL

Collection Instructions:

  1. Blood should be collected in a Gold top (SST) tube.  Allow tubes to clot and centrifuge according to lab policy.
    1. A plain Red top tube is acceptable but if collected in a plain Red, please separate serum from cells into a properly labeled tube for storage.
  2. Samples can be refrigerated at 2-8°C for up to 48 hours prior to testing. 
  3. The minimum volume of sample required is 400ul of serum.  It is recommended that 1.0 ml of serum be submitted for testing
  4. Hemolysis, lipemia or bilirubinemia have not been found to significantly influence the assay.  However, it is recommended to NOT use hemolyzed, lipemic or icteric samples if it is possible to collect a new sample.

Day(s) Performed

Daily

Analytical Time:

1 hour from specimen arrival

Methodology

Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay

Test Classification and CPT Coding

CPT: 84145

Order Code: RMCPROCALC

Result Name / Result Code / Result LOINC:

PCT / RMCL802093 / 33959-8

PCT Interp / RMCL802316 /

Normal Reference Values

 

PCT Concentration

 

 

PCT Interpretations

 

 

Risk or Options for Further Action

 

 

PCT ≤ 0.5 ng/ml

 

 

Low risk for progression to severe systemic infection (severe sepsis/septic shock). Local bacterial infection is possible.

 

 

CAUTION: PCT levels below 0.5 ng/ml do not exclude an infection, because localized infections may be associated with such low levels.

If PCT is measured very early after a bacterial challenge (usually <6 hours), these values may still be low. In this case, PCT should be re-assessed 6-24 hours later.

 

 

PCT > 0.5 and ≤ 2 ng/ml

 

 

Moderate risk for progression to severe systemic infection (severe sepsis/septic shock), but other conditions are known to elevate PCT as well

 

 

The patient should be closely monitored both clinically and by re-assessing PCT within 6-24 hours.

 

 

PCT > 2 ng/ml and < 10 ng/ml

 

 

High risk for progression to severe systemic infection (severe sepsis/septic shock) unless other causes are known

 

 

Systemic infection (sepsis) is likely, unless other causes are known.

 

 

PCT ≥ 10 ng/ml

 

 

High likelihood of severe sepsis or septic shock

 

 

Important systemic inflammatory response, almost exclusively due to severe bacterial sepsis or septic shock.

 

 

 

Specimen Transport Temperature

Refrigerated at 2-8°C

Critical Values

None