Peters, C,, Williams, K., Un, E.A. et al. (6 more authors) (2021) Use of procalcitonin for antibiotic stewardship in patients with COVID-19: A quality improvement project in a district general hospital. Clinical Medicine, 21 (1). e71-e76. ISSN 1470-2118
Abstract
Antibiotic stewardship during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of a comprehensive strategy to improve patient outcomes and reduce long-term adverse effects secondary to rising antibiotic resistance. This report describes a quality improvement project which incorporates the use of procalcitonin (PCT) testing to rationalise antibiotic prescribing in patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 at Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Data were collected from 118 patients with a total of 127 PCT levels checked over a period of 20 days. Each PCT level was correlated with the subsequent antibiotic outcome as well as the result of the COVID-19 PCR swab. Results indicate that antibiotics were either never started or were stopped within 48 hours in 72% of COVID-confirmed cases with a PCT less than 0.25 μg/L. Our findings suggest that procalcitonin testing, when used in combination with thorough clinical assessment, is a safe, simple and sustainable way of reducing antibiotic use in COVID-19.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2021 Royal College of Physicians. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Clinical Medicine. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | COVID-19; Antibiotic stewardship; Bacterial resistance; Procalcitonin; Quality Improvement |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Sheffield Teaching Hospitals |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 09 Nov 2020 13:23 |
Last Modified: | 21 Jan 2022 01:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Royal College of Physicians |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.7861/clinmed.2020-0614 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:167773 |