Examining the effect of direct-from-blood bacterial testing on antibiotic administration and clinical outcomes: a protocol and statistical analysis plan for a pragmatic randomised trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Patients with suspected bacterial infection frequently receive empiric, broad-spectrum antibiotics prior to pathogen identification due to the time required for bacteria to grow in culture. Direct-from-blood diagnostics identifying the presence or absence of bacteria and/or resistance genes from whole blood samples within hours of collection could enable earlier antibiotic optimisation for patients suspected to have bacterial infections. However, few randomised trials have evaluated the effect of using direct-from-blood bacterial testing on antibiotic administration and clinical outcomes. This manuscript describes the protocol and statistical analysis plan for a randomised trial designed to evaluate the effect of blood cultures plus direct-from-blood bacterial testing

SUBMITTER: Gaston DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11751835 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature