Duration of antibiotic therapy in critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial of a clinical and C-reactive protein-based protocol versus an evidence-based best practice strategy without biomarkers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The rational use of antibiotics is one of the main strategies to limit the development of bacterial resistance. We therefore sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a C-reactive protein-based protocol in reducing antibiotic treatment time in critically ill patients.

Methods

A randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial conducted in two intensive care units of a university hospital in Brazil. Critically ill infected adult patients were randomly allocated to (i) intervention to receive antibiotics guided by daily monitoring of CRP levels and (ii) control to receive antibiotics according to the best practices for rational use of antibiotics.

Results

One hundred thirty patients were included in the CRP (n = 64) and control (n = 66) groups. In the intentio

SUBMITTER: Borges I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7266125 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature