• Andrew J Thompson, Maria J Silveira, Caroline A Vitale, and Preeti N Malani.
• Department of Internal Medicine Divisions of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
• Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2012 Dec 1; 29 (8): 599-603.

BackgroundWe sought to evaluate antimicrobial use among patients with advanced cancer.MethodsRetrospective review of patients experiencing cancer-related death while hospitalized.ResultsAmong 145 patients, 126 (86.9%) received antimicrobials for a mean of 12.5 ± 12.9 days. 88 (69.8%) of 126 had clinical findings suggestive of infection. Sixty-one patients (48.4%) had positive cultures, the remaining were treated empirically. "Comfort care" was ultimately pursued in 99 (78.5%) of 126; 35 (35.4%) of 99 continued to receive antimicrobials after a transition to comfort care for an average of 1.6 ± 1.1 days. On average, antimicrobials were discontinued <1day prior to death.ConclusionAntimicrobial use was common among patients with advanced cancer. Even after transition to comfort care, more than one third of patients remained on antimicrobials. The risks and burdens of antimicrobials should be carefully examined when comfort is the stated goal.

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