This version was machine-translated from German and has not been medically reviewed. The authoritative version is the German version.
PECARN Febrile Infant Rule
Febrile infants ≤ 60 days: urinalysis, neutrophils ≤ 4090/µl, procalcitonin ≤ 1.71 ng/ml → low risk (Kuppermann 2019)
Calculation aid for healthcare professionals: the calculator reproduces what the sources cited assign to the inputs. Clinical assessment and every treatment decision remain with the treating physician. Inputs and results are not stored.
Frequently asked questions
PECARN Febrile Infant Rule: What does this calculator compute?
PECARN rule for febrile infants up to 60 days of age (Kuppermann 2019): negative urinalysis, absolute neutrophil count ≤ 4090/µl and procalcitonin ≤ 1.71 ng/ml identify a low risk of urinary tract infection, bacteremia and bacterial meningitis (sensitivity 97.7 %, NPV 99.6 %).
PECARN Febrile Infant Rule: Which sources is this calculator based on?
Kuppermann N, Dayan PS, Levine DA, et al.; Febrile Infant Working Group of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN): A clinical prediction rule to identify febrile infants 60 days and younger at low risk for serious bacterial infections (JAMA Pediatr 173:342–351) (2019); Gomez B, Mintegi S, Bressan S, Da Dalt L, Gervaix A, Lacroix L; European Group for Validation of the Step-by-Step Approach: Validation of the 'Step-by-Step' approach in the management of young febrile infants (Pediatrics 138:e20154381) (2016); Mintegi S, Bressan S, Gomez B, et al.: Accuracy of a sequential approach to identify young febrile infants at low risk for invasive bacterial infection (Emerg Med J 31:e19–e24) (2014); Jaskiewicz JA, McCarthy CA, Richardson AC, et al.; Febrile Infant Collaborative Study Group: Febrile infants at low risk for serious bacterial infection – an appraisal of the Rochester criteria and implications for management (Pediatrics 94:390–396) (1994); Pantell RH, Roberts KB, Adams WG, et al.; Subcommittee on Febrile Infants, American Academy of Pediatrics: Clinical practice guideline: evaluation and management of well-appearing febrile infants 8 to 60 days old (Pediatrics 148:e2021052228) (2021)