Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology (Jan 2022)

Outcomes and antibiotic use in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to an intensive care unit

  • Megan M. Petteys,
  • Leigh Ann Medaris,
  • Julie E. Williamson,
  • Rohit S. Soman,
  • Travis A. Denmeade,
  • William E. Anderson,
  • Michael K. Leonard,
  • Christopher M. Polk

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/ash.2021.248
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2

Abstract

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Antibiotic overuse is high in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) despite a low documented prevalence of bacterial infections in many studies. In this study evaluating 65 COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit, empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics were often overutilized with an inertia to de-escalate despite negative culture results.