Impact of introducing procalcitonin testing on antibiotic usage in acute NHS hospitals during the first wave of COVID-19 in the UK: a controlled interrupted time series analysis of organization-level data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Blood biomarkers have the potential to help identify COVID-19 patients with bacterial coinfection in whom antibiotics are indicated. During the COVID-19 pandemic, procalcitonin testing was widely introduced at hospitals in the UK to guide antibiotic prescribing. We have determined the impact of this on hospital-level antibiotic consumption.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective, controlled interrupted time series analysis of organization-level data describing antibiotic dispensing, hospital activity and procalcitonin testing for acute hospitals/hospital trusts in England and Wales during the first wave of COVID-19 (24 February to 5 July 2020).

Results

In the main analysis of 105 hospitals in England, introduction of procalcitonin testing in emergency departm

SUBMITTER: Llewelyn MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9383456 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature