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Mini Review Volume 11 Issue 1
Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia reassessing their clinical utility where resources are scarce
Valchkevich Aksana, Ivantsou Uladzimir
Received: April 24, 2026 | Published: May 25, 2026
Citation: Aksana V, Uladzimir I. Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in the diagnosis of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia: reassessing their clinical utility where resources are scarce. J Stem Cell Res Ther. 2026;11(1):220-223. DOI: 10.15406/jsrt.2026.11.00219
Abstract
The differential diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia from viral or non-infectious pulmonary conditions remains a persistent clinical challenge, particularly in hospitals where advanced microbiological infrastructure is unavailable. Procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) are widely regarded as complementary inflammatory markers, yet their practical usefulness in resource-constrained settings is rarely examined critically. This article revisits the diagnostic performance of both biomarkers, weighing their sensitivity, specificity, cost-effectiveness, and interpretive limitations in the context of low- and middle-income country (LMIC) hospital practice. We argue that neither marker alone is sufficient, that their combined use follows a context-dependent logic, and that clinicians working outside tertiary centers should apply threshold values with caution rather than automatism. A practical clinical scenario-based framework for prioritizing one marker over the other when resources are limited, alongside a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing biomarker testing with traditional approaches, is proposed.
Keywords: procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, community-acquired pneumonia, bacterial infection, resource-limited diagnostics, inflammatory biomarkers, antibiotic stewardship, LMIC
©2026 Aksana, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.