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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Use of procalcitonin during the first wave of covid-19 in the acute nhs hospitals: A retrospective observational study
Antibiotics, Volume 10, No. 5, Article 516, Year 2021
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Description
A minority of patients presenting to hospital with COVID-19 have bacterial co-infection. Procalcitonin testing may help identify patients for whom antibiotics should be prescribed or withheld. This study describes the use of procalcitonin in English and Welsh hospitals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A web-based survey of antimicrobial leads gathered data about the use of procalcitonin testing. Responses were received from 148/151 (98%) eligible hospitals. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was widespread introduction and expansion of PCT use in NHS hospitals. The number of hospitals using PCT in emergency/acute admissions rose from 17 (11%) to 74/146 (50.7%) and use in Intensive Care Units (ICU) increased from 70 (47.6%) to 124/147 (84.4%). This increase happened predominantly in March and April 2020, preceding NICE guidance. Approximately half of hospitals used PCT as a single test to guide decisions to discontinue antibiotics and half used repeated measurements. There was marked variation in the thresholds used for empiric antibiotic cessation and guidance about interpretation of values. Procalcitonin testing has been widely adopted in the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic in an unevidenced, heterogeneous way and in conflict with relevant NICE guidance. Further research is needed urgently that assesses the impact of this change on antibiotic prescribing and patient safety. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Authors & Co-Authors
Howard, Philip
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
United Kingdom, Leeds
Leeds Teaching Hospitals Nhs Trust
Llewelyn, Martin J.
United Kingdom, Brighton
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Szakmany, Tamas
United Kingdom, Newport
Bwrdd Lechyd Prifysgol Aneurin Bevan
United Kingdom, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Bond, Stuart Evan
United Kingdom, Wakefield
The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Nhs Trust
United Kingdom, Huddersfield
University of Huddersfield
Euden, Joanne
United Kingdom, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Brookes-Howell, Lucy Claire
United Kingdom, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Dark, Paul Michael
United Kingdom, Manchester
The University of Manchester
Hopkins, Susan M.
United Kingdom, London
Public Health England
Pallmann, Philip
United Kingdom, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Shaw, Dominick E.
United Kingdom, Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Shinkins, Bethany
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Todd, Stacy
United Kingdom, Liverpool
Liverpool University Hospitals Nhs Foundation Trust
Thomas-Jones, R. Emma
United Kingdom, Cardiff
Cardiff University
West, Robert Michael
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Carrol, Enitan D.
United Kingdom, Liverpool
University of Liverpool
Sandoe, Jonathan A.T.
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Statistics
Citations: 18
Authors: 16
Affiliations: 18
Identifiers
Doi:
10.3390/antibiotics10050516
ISSN:
20796382
Research Areas
Covid
Health System And Policy
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Cohort Study
Study Approach
Quantitative