Time to effective antibiotic administration in adult patients with septic shock: a descriptive analysis

To determine the median time to antibiotic administration following the onset of septic shock at our institution as well as the appropriateness of empiric therapy, sources of delay in antibiotic administration and the effect of delays on survival.

Retrospective health record review of 55 patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between July 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.

Nine-bed adult medical-surgical ICU within a 300-bed community acute care hospital.

Median time to antibiotic administration, appropriateness of empiric therapy, sources of delay in antibiotic administration.

The median (min,max) time to the initiation of antibiotics was determined to be 1.7 (0,31) hours. Only 34% (19/55) of patients received antibiotics within the recommended one hour. Empiric antibiotic therapy was determined to be appropriate in 91% (50/55) of patients. The median (min,max) time to administration of effective antibiotic therapy tended to be faster in the emergency room [1.1 (0,16) hours] compared to the ICU [2.3 (0,13)].

The median time to antibiotic administration at our institution following the onset of septic shock was longer than the evidence-based guideline recommendations of within one hour.