Widespread implementation of procalcitonin protocols in patients with acute respiratory infections has the potential to improve antibiotic management, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Researchers conducted a systematic literature search on the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE and Embase. They gathered individual patient data from trials in which patients with respiratory infections were randomly divided into two groups — a control group and a group that received antibiotics based on procalcitonin concentrations.
Researchers examined data on 6,708 patients from 26 eligible trials in 12 countries. They found mortality at 30 days was significantly lower in procalcitonin-guided therapy group as compared to the control groups. The procalcitonin-guided group also experienced a 2.4-day reduction in antibiotic exposure as well as a 6-percent reduction in antibiotic-related side-effects.