Antibiotics (Jul 2023)

Compliance with a Procalcitonin-Based Protocol in Patients with Ventilation-Associated Pneumonia: An Observational, Retrospective Study

  • Matthieu Rossi,
  • Louis Delamarre,
  • Gary Duclos,
  • Ines Lakbar,
  • Emmanuelle Hammad,
  • Charlotte Arbelot,
  • Laurent Zieleskiewicz,
  • Marc Leone

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12071208
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 7
p. 1208

Abstract

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Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) protocols to guide antibiotic treatment for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the intensive care unit aim at reducing antibiotic exposure. Our study goal was to measure compliance with a PCT protocol for VAP and to determine the associated variables. Methods: From 2017 to 2021, we conducted a retrospective, monocentric study including patients treated for VAP. In our PCT protocol, PCT was measured at the initiation of antibiotic treatment and every 48 h until treatment completion; antibiotics were stopped if PCT decreased by more than 80% from its highest value or fell below 0.5 ng/mL. We assessed the compliance with the PCT protocol and compared the compliant and noncompliant groups. Results: Among the 177 included patients, compliance with the PCT protocol was assessed at 58%. Noncompliance was due to lack of PCT measurements in 76% of cases. Compliance was higher in the medical patients (p = 0.04) and in those admitted for SARS-CoV-2 (p = 0.02). Compliance regarding the interruption of antibiotic therapy based on PCT was lower on weekends and holidays (p = 0.01). Outcomes did not differ according to compliance. Conclusion: This study assessed real-life compliance with the PCT protocol to monitor antibiotic treatment for VAP. Improving the measurement of PCT at the bedside would increase the rate.

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