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Procalcitonin algorithms for antibiotic therapy decisions : a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and recommendations for clinical algorithms

Schuetz, Philipp and Chiappa, Victor and Briel, Matthias and Greenwald, Jeffrey L.. (2011) Procalcitonin algorithms for antibiotic therapy decisions : a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and recommendations for clinical algorithms. Archives of internal medicine, Vol. 171. pp. 1322-1331.

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Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A6007371

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Abstract

Previous randomized controlled trials suggest that using clinical algorithms based on procalcitonin levels, a marker of bacterial infections, results in reduced antibiotic use without a deleterious effect on clinical outcomes. However, algorithms differed among trials and were embedded primarily within the European health care setting. Herein, we summarize the design, efficacy, and safety of previous randomized controlled trials and propose adapted algorithms for US settings. We performed a systematic search and included all 14 randomized controlled trials (N = 4467 patients) that investigated procalcitonin algorithms for antibiotic treatment decisions in adult patients with respiratory tract infections and sepsis from primary care, emergency department (ED), and intensive care unit settings. We found no significant difference in mortality between procalcitonin-treated and control patients overall (odds ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-1.14) or in primary care (0.13; 0-6.64), ED (0.95; 0.67-1.36), and intensive care unit (0.89; 0.66-1.20) settings individually. A consistent reduction was observed in antibiotic prescription and/or duration of therapy, mainly owing to lower prescribing rates in low-acuity primary care and ED patients, and shorter duration of therapy in moderate- and high-acuity ED and intensive care unit patients. Measurement of procalcitonin levels for antibiotic decisions in patients with respiratory tract infections and sepsis appears to reduce antibiotic exposure without worsening the mortality rate. We propose specific procalcitonin algorithms for low-, moderate-, and high-acuity patients as a basis for future trials aiming at reducing antibiotic overconsumption.
Faculties and Departments:03 Faculty of Medicine > Departement Klinische Forschung > Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics CEB > Klinische Epidemiologie (Bucher H)
UniBasel Contributors:Briel, Matthias
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Further Journal Contribution
Publisher:American Medical Association
ISSN:0003-9926
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal item
Last Modified:24 May 2013 09:22
Deposited On:24 May 2013 09:06

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