Procalcitonin Stop Rule: Use PCT kinetics alongside clinical stability to support antibiotic discontinuation.
Assessment Tier
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Score 0
Current profile does not support stopping antibiotics.
Verified
Last Review: 2026-07-17
Use during early bedside triage when infection severity or treatment escalation is uncertain.
Support clinician judgement with a structured review of the highest-yield risk factors.
Standardise communication between admitting, ID, ICU, and pharmacy teams.
PCT decline >80% from peak (+3)
Absolute PCT <0.25 µg/L (+2)
Clinical stability achieved (+2)
No uncontrolled source (+1)
Profound immunosuppression (-1)
Ongoing sepsis or shock (-3)
Interpret the result together with source control, microbiology, host factors, and trajectory.
Escalate imaging, cultures, or specialist review when the tool lands in a high-risk tier.
Reassess dynamically if the patient deteriorates or new microbiology becomes available.
This tool supports structured infectious-disease decision making but does not replace clinician judgement or local guideline pathways.
This OpiCalc infectious-disease entry reflects commonly used guideline criteria and bedside risk features used in contemporary clinical practice.
Last Comprehensive Review: 2026-07-17