Procalcitonin for Antibiotic Prescription in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Clinical Perspective.

ABSTRACT: The 2020 Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease report indicates that the blood biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) may assist in decision-making regarding the initiation of antibiotics for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. PCT is an acute-phase reactant that increases in response to inflammation and infection, and has been studied in various bacterial infections for initiation and de-escalation of antibacterials. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the strength of the data on the use of PCT to guide antibiotic prescription in COPD exacerbations. Among the randomized clinical trials included in our meta-analysis, almost all of which were conducted exclusively in the hospital setting. PCT was found to decrease overall antibioti

SUBMITTER: Chen K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7672148 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature