Access PCT strengthens industry’s most extensive portfolio of in-vitro diagnostic testing for sepsis identification and management
“Sepsis is a life-threatening systemic inflammatory response to infection. Despite advances in modern medicine, it remains the primary cause of death from infection, affecting 26 million people, and resulting in an estimated 5.3 million deaths worldwide each year(1,2),” said Jeannine Holden, M.D., chief medical officer, Beckman Coulter. “Procalcitonin levels in blood have been found to correlate with the severity of bacterial infections and also with the probability of a positive blood culture, making it a clinically useful marker in the assessment of patients with possible sepsis or septic shock. The ability to rapidly diagnose suspected sepsis patients and determine appropriate care and treatment is critical, as earlier administration of antibiotics is highly correlated with increased patient survival.”
The launch of Access PCT follows the recent release of the Early Sepsis Indicator, a unique hematological marker available on Beckman Coulter’s DxH900 Hematology Analyzer as a part of the routine CBC with differential analysis.
“Our partners count on Beckman Coulter to provide a broad menu of solutions that matter in the treatment of the most prevalent and costly health conditions. We are proud to offer the industry’s most extensive portfolio of in-vitro diagnostic testing for sepsis identification and management across multiple disciplines, including clinical chemistry, immunoassay, microbiology, urinalysis and hematology,” said Puneet Sarin, senior vice president and general manager for Beckman Coulter’s chemistry and immunoassay business. “Access PCT is a key component in the fight against sepsis and a testament to our ongoing investment in developing the tools physicians need to enhance patient care by enabling them to know sooner and act faster. In the fight against sepsis, every minute counts."
Access PCT enables healthcare providers to integrate procalcitonin testing analysis into their routine sepsis workups on core laboratory analyzers, as a primary or reflex test programmed though Beckman Coulter’s REMISOL Advance middleware. Such integration simplifies laboratory workflow and optimizes institutional sepsis management protocols while reducing the operation expense of maintaining costly dedicated instrumentation.
The new Access PCT assay recently received CE mark certification and is available for use on the Access Family of Immunoassay Systems including the Access 2, UniCel DxI 600 and UniCel DxI 800. For more information regarding the Access PCT assay, visit www.BeckmanCoulter.com/AccessPCT.