• Florence Beye, Clara Vigneron, Auguste Dargent, Sébastien Prin, Pascal Andreu, Audrey Large, Quenot Jean-Pierre JP Service de Médecine Intensive-Réanimation, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 14 rue Paul Gaffarel, B.P. 77908-21079, Dijon, Cedex, France; Université Bourgogne F, Julien Bador, Rémi Bruyere, and Pierre-Emmanuel Charles.
• Pharmacie Hospitalière, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, 14 rue Paul Gaffarel, B.P. 77908-21079, Dijon, Cedex, France.
• J Crit Care. 2019 Oct 1; 53: 125-131.

PurposeVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) increases exposure to antibiotics. Physicians are however reluctant to shorten treatment, arguing this could lead to failures and worse outcome. Monitoring procalcitonin (PCT) has proven effective for decreasing exposure to antibiotics in randomized controlled trials, but additional "real-life" studies are needed.Materials And MethodsAll patients with VAP in whom ABT was stopped before death or discharge were included in this 5-year prospective cohort study. Patients in whom ABT was stopped in accordance with the algorithm ("PCT-guided" group: ABT withdrawal strongly encouraged if PCT < 0.5 ng/mL or < 80% peak value) were compared to those with ABT continuation despite PCT decrease ("not PCT-guided" group). The primary endpoint was ABT duration. The secondary endpoint was unfavorable VAP outcome (i.e. death or relapse).ResultsWe included 157 of the 316 patients with microbiologically-proven VAP. The algorithm was overruled in 81 patients (51.6%). ABT duration was significantly longer in these patients than in the PCT-guided group (9.5 vs. 8.0 days; p = .02), although baseline and VAP characteristics did not differ. The rate of unfavorable outcomes was comparable (46.9% vs. 51.3%; p = .69).ConclusionsPCT-guided ABT adherence appears safe for patients with VAP and is likely to reduce exposure to antibiotics.Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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