A marker is not a diagnosis
Signs of infection and inflammation can overlap and change over time. Measurements therefore need to be assessed alongside symptoms, history, timing and, where appropriate, further diagnostics rather than using one value to infer a cause.
Professional care contexts
- Outpatient practices and medical facilities with defined infection or inflammation questions
- Clinical teams that place measurements within established intake, follow-up or aftercare processes
- Professional healthcare providers with clear responsibility for measurement, documentation and further assessment
Questions before selection and interpretation
- Which specific infection or inflammation question should the measurement support?
- Which available marker provides complementary information for that question and at what time?
- Which findings require confirmation, follow-up measurement or further diagnostics within the applicable care pathway?
Markers named in the existing service context
- CRP (C-reactive protein)
- PCT (procalcitonin)
- IL-6 (interleukin-6)
- Ferritin
From the question to professional interpretation
Clarify context and responsibility
Define the reason, care setting and responsibility for interpretation and next steps before measurement.
Perform and document the measurement
Handle the sample and measurement according to the instructions for the specific test in use, documenting time and result.
Assess the result as part of the whole picture
Do not use the value in isolation; combine it with the clinical context and, where appropriate, confirmatory or further diagnostics.
Professional note
Infection and inflammation markers provide context-dependent diagnostic information. They do not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, urgency decisions or treatment and do not guarantee a particular cause or outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about infection and inflammation markers
The current PolarisDX evidence names CRP, PCT, IL-6 and ferritin. Which markers a specific test configuration actually supports must be verified for the selected system and intended use.
No. A measurement can supplement professional assessment, but on its own it proves neither a specific infection nor a particular cause of inflammation. Timing, course, symptoms and further diagnostics remain part of interpretation.
No. This page describes a B2B service context and provides no individual triage, diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Responsible clinical processes and professional roles apply to specific cases.