Overview
Evidence-based recommendations on procalcitonin testing for diagnosing and monitoring sepsis (ADVIA Centaur BRAHMS PCT assay, BRAHMS PCT Sensitive Kryptor assay, Elecsys BRAHMS PCT assay, LIAISON BRAHMS PCT assay and VIDAS BRAHMS PCT assay).
Last reviewed: 7 October 2015
Diagnostics guidance 18 has been migrated to HealthTech guidance 386. The recommendations and accompanying content remain unchanged.
Next review: New evidence has become available that could have a material effect on the recommendations. In March 2026, the NICE Prioritisation Board agreed that updated guidance on the use of procalcitonin tests in sepsis would be valuable. It has confirmed that a review of the topic should be prioritised. So, this guidance will be updated on the use of procalcitonin testing to guide decisions on stopping antibiotics in people with confirmed or highly suspected in sepsis.
Also, the use of procalcitonin to guide decisions on starting antibiotics in people with suspected sepsis will be updated in NICE's guideline on suspected sepsis in people aged 16 years and or over: recognition, assessment and early management, NICE's guideline on suspected sepsis in under 16s: recognition, diagnosis and early management and NICE's guideline on suspected sepsis in pregnant or recently pregnant people: recognition, diagnosis and early management.
Guidance development process
How we develop NICE HealthTech guidance
Your responsibility
This guidance represents the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, healthcare professionals are expected to take this guidance fully into account, and specifically any special arrangements relating to the introduction of new interventional procedures. The guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer.
All problems (adverse events) related to a medicine or medical device used for treatment or in a procedure should be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency using the Yellow Card Scheme.
Commissioners and/or providers have a responsibility to implement the guidance, in their local context, in light of their duties to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations. Nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties. Providers should ensure that governance structures are in place to review, authorise and monitor the introduction of new devices and procedures.
Commissioners and providers have a responsibility to promote an environmentally sustainable health and care system and should assess and reduce the environmental impact of implementing NICE recommendations wherever possible.