European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine
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Although blood cultures are commonly ordered in the emergency department, there is controversy about their utility. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of blood cultures in the management of patients presenting to a tertiary adult teaching hospital emergency department in Perth, Western Australia. ⋯ Blood cultures are ordered on a significant number of patients seen in the emergency department but rarely alter management. Our findings in conjunction with other studies suggest that eliminating blood cultures in immunocompetent patients with common illnesses such as urinary tract infection, community acquired pneumonia and cellulitis, may significantly reduce the number of blood cultures, producing substantial savings without jeopardizing patient care. This needs prospective study and validation.