Neopterin Blood Levels: A Basis for Deciding to Use Antibiotics in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients

Abstract

The hypothesis that neopterin blood levels provide a reliable basis for the decision to use antibiotics was tested prospectively in 536 traumatised intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Where infection was suspected antibiotics were given either if deemed necessary (control group) or if neopterin levels were>40 nmol/L (study group). The number of patients with infections (24% vs. 29%), the number of infectious episodes per patient (3.1 vs. 4.8 ), the incidence of infections with Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas, and the treatment costs (minus 20%) were lower in the study group. Mean length of ICU stay and outcome remained unchanged. We conclude that it is beneficial to base the decision to use antibiotics in ICU patients with suspected infections on neopterin testing.

Keywords

• infection-screening
• suspected infection
• infection-treatment
• neopterin
• intensive care
• costs