Open forum infectious diseases
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Open Forum Infect Dis · Jan 2017
Impact of Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Management on Antibiotic Exposure and Outcomes: Real-world Evidence.
Delayed pathogen identification and nonspecific clinical findings make definitive decisions regarding antibiotics challenging. The stimuli of bacterial toxins and inflammation make procalcitonin (PCT) unique in its ability to differentiate bacterial infection from other causes of inflammation, and thus it is useful for antibiotic management. The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of a PCT algorithm (PCT-A) on current practice. ⋯ The addition of PCT in a facility with an established stewardship program resulted in a significant reduction in antibiotic exposure and adverse outcomes. PCT may improve antibiotic management when diagnostic clarity and resolution of infection are lacking.