Ekulweni nokumelana nama-antibiotic kanye ne-sepsis, i-biomarker eyodwa ishintsha imithetho yezokwelapha eziphuthumayo: i-Procalcitonin (PCT). Okwake kwaba yinani lelebhu elikhethekile, ukuhlolwa kwe-PCT manje sekuyisithuluzi esiphambili kodokotela emhlabeni jikelele.

Amazinga e-PCT akhuphuka kakhulu ngenxa yokutheleleka ngamagciwane kodwa ahlala ephansi ngesikhathi sezifo ezibangelwa amagciwane noma ukusha kokuvuvukala. Lo mehluko ubalulekile. Njalo ngonyaka, izigidi zeziguli zithola ama-antibiotic angadingekile e-bronchitis noma umkhuhlane obangelwa amagciwane, okusheshisa inkinga yama-superbugs amelana nemithi. “Ngokulinganisa i-PCT, singamisa ama-antibiotic ngokuqiniseka lapho amazinga ephansi,” kusho uDkt. Emily Hart, uchwepheshe wezifo ezithathelwanayo. “Lokhu kulondoloza izikhali zethu zezinsongo zangempela zamagciwane.”

Ngaphandle kokuphatha, i-PCT isindisa impilo ku-sepsis. Izimpawu zendabuko zingaba zingaqondakali, kodwa ukufundwa kwe-PCT okuphezulu kuqinisekisa ukuhlaselwa kwamagciwane okujwayelekile emahoreni ngaphambi kokuba imiphumela yokuhlolwa kwegazi ilungele. Ihora ngalinye ukwelashwa kuyabambezeleka, ukufa kukhuphuka ngo-8%. Ukuhlolwa okusheshayo kwe-PCT kuvumela odokotela ukuhlukanisa ukuvuvukala okungavamile kwe-sepsis ngokushesha, okubangela ukunakekelwa okunamandla kulabo abakudingayo—futhi kugweme ukwamukelwa e-ICU kulabo abangakudingi.

Izibhedlela ezisebenzisa izinqubo ze-PCT ezijwayelekile zibike ukwehla okufika ku-40% ezinsukwini zama-antibiotic kanye nokuhlala kwe-ICU okufushane kakhulu. Njengoba amagciwane okuphefumula asebusika esanda, ukuhlolwa kuvimbela iphutha elivamile lokwelapha izimpawu zamagciwane ngemithi yamagciwane.

I-Procalcitonin akuyona nje inombolo; iwuhlelo lokwelapha olunembile. Enkathini lapho wonke ama-antibiotic ebalelwa khona futhi yonke iminithi ye-sepsis ibalulekile, ukuhlolwa kwe-PCT akuseyona into yokunethezeka—kuyindinganiso yokunakekelwa.