Association of functional status and hospital-acquired functional decline with 30-day outcomes in medical inpatients: A prospective cohort study.

Background: There is growing evidence that patients with functional decline are at increased risk of readmission, mortality and institutionalization. Instruments to measure the status of self-care could provide important information for efficient care planning. The widely used Self Care Index serves as an indicator for the severity of nursing dependency.

Procalcitonin: A new biomarker for the cardiologist.

Due to its high accuracy for the diagnosis of bacterial infections, the inflammatory biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) is increasingly being used in patients with suspected infection. In patients with infections of the respiratory tract, it allows rapid rule out of bacterial etiology and facilitates decisions pertaining to antibiotic management. A growing body of evidence also supports PCT testing in patients with cardiovascular disorders including, but not limited to, those with shortness of breath, possible heart failure, suspected endocarditis, and acute coronary syndromes.

Procalcitonin and pyuria-based algorithm reduces antibiotic use in urinary tract infections: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common drivers of antibiotic use. The minimal effective duration of antibiotic therapy for UTIs is unknown, but any reduction is important to diminish selection pressure for antibiotic resistance, costs, and drug-related side-effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether an algorithm based on procalcitonin (PCT) and quantitative pyuria reduces antibiotic exposure.