The Role of Biomarkers in the Diagnosis and Management of Pneumonia

Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2024 Mar;38(1):35-49. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2023.12.005.

Abstract

Biomarkers are used in the diagnosis, severity determination, and prognosis for patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Selected biomarkers may indicate a bacterial infection and need for antibiotic therapy (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells). Biomarkers can differentiate CAP patients who require hospital admission and severe CAP requiring intensive care unit admission. Biomarker-guided antibiotic therapy may limit antibiotic exposure without compromising outcome and thus improve antibiotic stewardship. The authors discuss the role of biomarkers in diagnosing, determining severity, defining the prognosis, and limiting antibiotic exposure in CAP and ventilator-associated pneumonia patients.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Pneumonia diagnosis; Procalcitonin; Prognosis; Scoring systems.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers
  • Calcitonin
  • Community-Acquired Infections* / diagnosis
  • Community-Acquired Infections* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Pneumonia* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia* / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* / drug therapy
  • Prognosis

Substances

  • Calcitonin
  • Biomarkers
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents