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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 2 of 2 Research Studies DisplayedWoods-Hill CZ, Colantuoni EA, Koontz DW
Association of diagnostic stewardship for blood cultures in critically ill children with culture rates, antibiotic use, and patient outcomes: results of the Bright STAR Collaborative.
The purpose of this AHRQ-funded prospective study was to assess the relationship between a 14-site PICU blood culture collaborative, the Bright STAR (Testing Stewardship for Antibiotic Reduction) collaborative, and culture rates, antibiotic use, and patient outcomes. The researchers collected data from each participating PICU across the United States and from the Children’s Hospital Association Pediatric Health Information System. The main outcome was blood culture rates, with secondary outcomes including: broad-spectrum antibiotic use and PICU rates of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), Clostridioides difficile infection, readmission, length of stay, sepsis, severe sepsis/septic shock, and mortality. The study found that the blood culture rate preimplementation across the 14 PICUs was 149.4 per 1000 patient days per month, and the rate postimplementation was 100.5 for a 33% relative reduction postimplementation. For those same periods, the rate of antibiotic use decreased from 506 days per 1000 patient-days per month preimplementation to 440 days per 1000 patient-days per month postimplementation, which reflects a 13% relative reduction. Rates of CLABSI decreased from 1.8 to 1.1 per 1000 central venous line days per month, a 36% relative reduction. The variables of length of stay, readmission, sepsis, severe sepsis/septic shock, and mortality were similar before and after implementation. The researchers concluded that collaborative interventions can reduce blood culture and antibiotic use in the PICU.
AHRQ-funded; HS025642.
Citation: Woods-Hill CZ, Colantuoni EA, Koontz DW .
Association of diagnostic stewardship for blood cultures in critically ill children with culture rates, antibiotic use, and patient outcomes: results of the Bright STAR Collaborative.
JAMA Pediatr 2022 Jul;176(7):690-98. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.1024..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Sepsis, Critical Care, Antibiotics, Medication, Diagnostic Safety and Quality, Antimicrobial Stewardship
Pepper DJ, Sun J, Rhee C
Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic discontinuation and mortality in critically ill adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis on survival outcomes of using procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic discontinuation on critically ill adults. The study quality was assessing with the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and GRADEpro was used to grade evidence. PCT-guided discontinuation was associated with decreased mortality, but there was a high risk of bias in many of the studies reviewed with a low certainty of evidence. The authors suggest properly designed studies with mortality as the primary outcome is needed to further answer this question.
AHRQ-funded; HS025008.
Citation: Pepper DJ, Sun J, Rhee C .
Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic discontinuation and mortality in critically ill adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Chest 2019 Jun;155(6):1109-18. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.12.029..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Critical Care, Evidence-Based Practice, Medication, Mortality, Outcomes, Sepsis