Early Procalcitonin Kinetics During Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in Critically Ill Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical signs of infection * Suspected or proven acute infection requiring empiric antibiotic therapy as decided by the attending ICU physician * Suspected site of infection has to be present and documented * Microbiological sample sent for staining * Inflammatory markers available at the start of the therapy Exclusion Criteria: * Patients younger than 18 years * Who received prophylactic or empiric antibiotic therapy 48 hours before inclusion * Whose receiving acute renal replacement therapy in the first 24 hours following antibiotic treatment * Following cardiopulmonary resuscitation * End stage diseases with a "do not resuscitate" order * Immunocompromised patients (human immunodeficiency virus infection, bone marrow transplantation, malignant haematological disorders and chemotherapy) * Post cardiac surgery patients