Biomarkers for antimicrobial stewardship: a reappraisal in COVID-19 times?

On initial presentation, differentiation between earlystage coronavirus disease 2019 COVID-19) and classical bacterial community-acquired pneumonia can be challenging. Furthermore, COVID-19 patients may develop a hyperinflammatory phase later in their disease process, which is particularly difficult to distinguish from a secondary bacterial infection. As a consequence, 72% of COVID-19 patients receive empirical antibiotic therapy during hospital stay. Antibiotic overuse undoubtedly leads to an exacerbation of another —slowly progressive—pandemic: antimicrobial resistance. Procalcitonin (PCT) has proven useful in the early diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections of bacterial origin. Furthermore, in the ICU setting, serial measurement of PCT can safely guide the withdrawal of antibiotic therapy.
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news