THE DURATION OF ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY IN INTENSIVE CARE (PROSPECTIVE STUDY)

Antibiotics are frequently prescribed medications, but their abuse is hazardous. They can promote the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria, have adverse effects on patients, and impose additional expenses on healthcare facilities. In the context of rationalizing antibiotic prescription, research and monitoring of treatment durations are needed to minimize risks of their abuse. A prospective study of one year duration analyzed the duration of antibiotic therapy in 226 patients with respiratory infections, bacteremia, intra-abdominal, and urinary tract infections. The median durations of treatment ranged from 5 to 10 days based on the type of infection. Mortality was 31% and differed based on the type of infection. Different strategies are recommended, such as the use of empirical antibiotic therapy while awaiting bacteriological results or the Wait and Watch strategy. The choice of empirical antibiotic treatment remains crucial and is based on the local bacterial ecology of each unit. Biomarkers such as procalcitonin can be used to guide discontinuation of treatment and reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy. Short treatment durations have been shown to have similar outcomes compared to longer treatment durations, and it is reasonable to individualize the duration of antibiotic treatment based on each patients need. Overall, there is growing evidence for the use of shorter durations of antibiotic therapy with similar clinical outcomes to longer durations. The goal is to provide the right dose of antibiotics needed for each patients treatment.