How Necessary Is Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in COVID-19 Patients before ICU infections develop? An Observational Study

How Necessary Is Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in COVID-19 Patients before ICU infections develop? An Observational Study

Introduction: There have been few studies reporting empirical antibiotic use in Covid-19 patients, particularly in those admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study evaluated empirical antibiotic use in patients admitted to the ICU with Covid-19 Methods: This two-center retrospective study included 79 consecutive patients who were admitted to the ICU due to Covid-19 infection between October 1 and December 31, 2020, and received empirical antibiotics. The patients were classified into two groups: those who developed ICU infections after 48 hours of ICU admission despite empirical antibiotic therapy (Group 1), and those who received empirical antibiotic therapy during the ICU stay, but were free of ICU infections (Group 2). Results: In Group 1, 37 patients (46.8%) developed ICU infections after a median of 12 days (IQR 5.5-15.5) of ICU stay. The cumulative antibiotic use until the detection ICU infections was 395 antibiotic days corresponding to 1070 DOTs/1000 hospital days. The median antibiotic use was 9 days (IQR 4-15.5). In Group 2, 42 patients (53.2%) received empirical antibiotic therapy for a median of 5 ICU days (IQR 3-8.3) and for a total of 256 antibiotic days (1051 DOTs/1000 hospital days). Twenty–three patients received empirical antibiotic therapy during the entire ICU stay. The median ICU stay was 6.5 days (IQR 4-10) and the median antibiotic use was 5 days (IQR 3-8.2). Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings are alarming and raise doubt about the potential role of antibiotics in the initial therapy of Covid-19 patients at the time of ICU admission and suggest the need to narrow or tailor antibiotic use based on clear laboratory and radiologic indications.

___

  • 1.World Health Organization. Clinical management ofCOVID-19: interim guidance, 27 May 2020. WorldHealth Organization. 2020.https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/332196.License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Accessed 8 Oct 2021.
  • 2.Alhazzani W, Møller MH, Arabi YM, et al. SurvivingSepsis Campaign: guidelines on the management ofcritically ill adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19). Intensive Care Medicine 2020;48(6):854-887. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-020-06022-5.
  • 3.COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel. CoronavirusDisease 2019 (COVID-19) Treatment Guidelines.National Institutes of Health.https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/.Accessed 8 Oct 2021.
Dicle Tıp Dergisi-Cover
  • ISSN: 1300-2945
  • Yayın Aralığı: Yılda 4 Sayı
  • Başlangıç: 1963
  • Yayıncı: Cahfer GÜLOĞLU
Sayıdaki Diğer Makaleler

Surgically proven small bowel intussusception in children: Analysis of 36 cases

Hikmet ZEYTUN, Erol BASUGUY, Serkan ARSLAN, Bahattin AYDOĞDU, Mehmet Hanifi OKUR

Relationship Between Systemic Immune Inflammation Index and Prognosis in Patients with COVID-19

Sebnem NERGİZ, Onder OZTURK

Prematüre Bebeklerde Patent Duktus Arteriyozusun Cerrahi Kapatılması: Klip Uygulaması veya Sütür Ligasyonu

Yiğit KILIÇ, Esra AKTİZ BIÇAK

Risk Factors for 7-Day and 21-Day Mortality in Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Caused by Gram-Negative Multidrug Resistant Bacteria

Ilker ODEMİS, Elif VURAL TASDEMİR

Cardiac Findings on Non-Contrast Thoracic Tomography in Patients with Acromegaly

Lezan KESKİN, Mehtap ILGAR, Bulent YAPRAK, Mehmet AKÇİÇEK, Okan ASLANTÜRK

The association between frequent premature atrial contractions and recurrent stroke in a population of ischemic stroke

Serhat GÜNLÜ, Adem AKTAN

Otizm ve Oksidatif Stres: Bir Vaka Kontrol Çalışması

Fatma SUBAŞI TURGUT, Mehmet KARADAĞ, Seyithan TAYSİ, Zehra HANGÜL, Cem GÖKÇEN

Alzheimer Hastalarında Gözlenenİnsomnia Risk Faktörlerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Zeynep Selcan ŞANLI, Pınar BENGİ BOZ, Ahmet Turan EVLİCE

Exploring the Effects of Lucilia sericata Larvae on Biofilm-forming Bacteria in Wounds

Merve EGRİBEL, Serhat SİREKBASAN, Hüseyin ÇAKAN, Erdal POLAT

How Necessary Is Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in COVID-19 Patients before ICU infections develop? An Observational Study

Sirin MENEKSE, Secil DENİZ