A test kit for rapid detection of sepsis through quantitative measurement of procalcitonin is now available for use on almost any liquid-based chemistry analyzer.

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a peptide precursor of the hormone calcitonin, which is involved with calcium homeostasis. PCT is composed of 116 amino acids and is produced by parafollicular cells (C cells) of the thyroid and by the neuroendocrine cells of the lung and the intestine. While the level of PCT in the blood stream of healthy individuals is below the limit of detection (less than 0.01 micrograms per liter) of clinical assays, the level of PCT rises in a response to a proinflammatory stimulus, especially of bacterial origin. Measurement of procalcitonin can be used as a marker of severe sepsis caused by bacteria and generally grades well with the degree of sepsis, although levels of procalcitonin in the blood are very low.

The global diagnostics company EKF Diagnostics (Cardiff, UK) has introduced the Procalcitonin (PCT) LiquiColor Assay produced by its subsidiary Stanbio Chemistry (Boerne, TX, USA) for rapid detection of sepsis.

The LiquiColor assay employs latex enhanced immunoturbidimetric methodology to determine quantitatively the level of PCT in serum samples and in EDTA, lithium, or heparin plasma samples. The test requires just 20 microliters of sample and can be run on almost any liquid-based chemistry analyzer with open-channel capability. Results are available within 10 minutes. The reagent kit, calibrator, and control sets are available separately.

Al Blanco, business unit director at EKF Diagnostics, said, “This assay can be performed on a customer’s existing chemistry analyzer with the same collection tube used for analysis of other chemistry tests. Therefore, it will provide optimized lab workflow by eliminating the need to split a sample or have a dedicated off-line workstation. These features will provide any lab with a cost-effective solution for PCT testing.”

Related Links:
EKF Diagnostics
Stanbio Chemistry