Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
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Review Meta Analysis
De-escalation of empiric antibiotics in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock: A meta-analysis.
To evaluate the impact of de-escalation therapy on clinical outcomes in patients with severe sepsis and/or septic shock. ⋯ Antibiotic de-escalation therapy has no detrimental impact on mortality in patients with severe sepsis and/or septic shock, as compared to the continuation of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Since de-escalation affords an opportunity to limit overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics, it should be considered as an option in clinical practice.