Review article

https://doi.org/10.26800/LV-147-1-2-6

Biomarkers in the intensive care unit

HELENA OSTOVIĆ orcid.org/0000-0002-4521-4366 *
BRANKICA ŠIMAC
JASMINKA PERŠEC

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

Biomarkers are indicators whose concentrations in a biological sample can be objectively measured, and their levels are used as indicators of a normal or pathological process in the body, as well as the response to applied therapy. They are gaining increasing popularity in intensive care units (ICUs) as a tool for diagnosing and monitoring various diseases. Inflammatory biomarkers are of special significance as they help clinicians differentiate between infectious and non-infectious etiologies of inflammatory conditions, which are common problems in ICU patients. Early detection of infections and timely diagnosis of sepsis are crucial prerequisites for treatment, with the primary goal to start appropriate antimicrobial therapy as early as possible. Despite the rapid increase in newly discovered inflammatory markers in recent years, only a few are used in clinical practice, and none are ideal due to borderline sensitivity and insufficient specificity. This article provides an overview of routinely used inflammatory biomarkers in ICUs and introduces representatives of the new generation, primarily intended for the early detection of sepsis. Classical inflammatory biomarkers include white blood cell count, ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and procalcitonin (PCT), while monocyte distribution width (MDW), presepsin, and pancreatic stone protein (PSP) are relatively new. The combination of new and traditional inflammatory biomarkers, as early or confirmatory indicators, and their interpretation in the context of clinical signs, forms the basis of a personalized approach to each critically ill patient. Although research in this field is continuously advancing with promising results, there is still no standalone biomarker validated for the definitive diagnosis of sepsis.

Keywords

BIOMARKERS – blood; SEPSIS – diagnosis; INTENSIVE CARE UNITS; LEUKOCYTE COUNT – analysis; C-REACTIVE PROTEIN – blood; INTERLEUKIN-6 – blood; LITHOSTATHINE – blood; PROCALCITONIN – blood; PEPTIDE FRAGMENTS –blood; LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE RECEPTORS – blood; MONOCYTES

Hrčak ID:

328796

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/328796

Publication date:

10.3.2025.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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