Pros and cons of using biomarkers versus clinical decisions in start and stop decisions for antibiotics in the critical care setting

摘要: Introduction Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) frequently receive prolonged or even unnecessary antibiotic therapy, which selects for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Over the last decade there has been great interest in biomarkers, particularly procalcitonin, to reduce antibiotic exposure. Methods In this narrative review, we discuss the value of biomarkers and provide additional information beyond clinical evaluation in order to be clinically useful and review the literature on sepsis biomarkers outside the neonatal period. Both benefits …