Association Between Delayed Broad-Spectrum Gram-negative Antibiotics and Clinical Outcomes: How Much Does Getting It Right With Empiric Antibiotics Matter?

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 80; no. 5; p. 949
• Main Authors: Baghdadi, Jonathan D, Goodman, Katherine E, Magder, Laurence S, Claeys, Kimberly C, Sutherland, Mark E, Harris, Anthony D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 04.06.2025
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Bacterial Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - mortality; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Readmission - statistics & numerical data; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; United States; United States; inpatient antibiotic utilization; gram-negative antibiotics; clinical outcomes; antibiotic stewardship; empiric therapy

Clinicians often start unnecessarily broad-spectrum empiric gram-negative antibiotics out of the concern that delaying effective therapy could lead to a worse clinical outcome. This study examined the consequences of delayed initiation of broad-spectrum gram-negative antibiotics. In a retrospective...