Utility of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in community-acquired pneumonia in children: a narrative review.

The purpose of this narrative review is to analyze the most recent studies about the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT), two of the main biomarkers of infection, in distinguishing viral from bacterial etiology, in predicting the severity of infection and in guiding antibiotic stewardship in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The studies examined reveal that both CRP and PCT play a valuable role in diagnosing pediatric CAP, though each has limitations. CRP has moderate accuracy in distinguishing bacterial from viral infections, but its elevated levels are not exclusive to bacterial infections; PCT, however, shows higher specificity for bacterial CAP, with studies confirming its ability to differentiate bacterial causes, especially in severe cases.