Table 1.

Characteristics of the ideal biomarker of infection[13,14]

1  Easy to use and interpret

2  Objective

3  Rapidly available

4  Reproducible

5  Good sensitivity and good specificity

6  Dynamic – rapid increases and decreases

7  Level not dependent of the underlying pathology and not modified by any treatment or intervention unless interventions related to the source control and/or antibiotic therapy

8  Continuous and not a discrete variable

9  Correlation with clinical severity and mortality

10  Prolonged and successive infections without “exhaustion” or “fatigue”

11  Inexpensive

12  Easily available