Roger et al identified factors associated with unnecessary antibiotic therapy for patients in the hospital who may have an infection. The authors are from multiple institutions in France.
Patient selection: hospitalized patient started on antibiotic for a possible infection
Predictors of unnecessary antibiotic therapy:
(1) unspecified diagnosis of infection (odds ratio 1.8)
(2) failure to collect a blood culture (odds ratio 5.3), or other testing to confirm infection
where:
• Starting antibiotics prior to collecting cultures can lead to false-negative cultures.
• A person who physiologically vulnerable might be started on antibiotics "just in case".
Interpretation:
• The presence of both predictors is associated with unnecessary antibiotic therapy.
• The absence of both predictors is associated with appropriate antibiotic therapy.
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