PROCALCITONIN GUIDED ANTIBIOTIC STEWARDSHIP: A BALKAN EXPERT CONSENSUS STATEMENT.

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Biochemistry

Background:

• Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality in critically ill patients, often stemming from common infections.
• Empirical broad-spectrum antibiotic use in severe sepsis can lead to antibiotic resistance and increased healthcare costs.
• Procalcitonin (PCT) is a reliable serum biomarker for sepsis diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop expert recommendations and a PCT protocol for antibiotic stewardship in the Balkan region.
• To guide clinicians on the initiation and duration of antibiotic therapy based on clinical assessment and PCT levels.
• To integrate PCT-guided algorithms into institutional antibiotic stewardship programs.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on lower respiratory tract infections and sepsis management.
• Development of a consensus-based clinical algorithm incorporating illness severity, clinical evaluation, and PCT measurements.
• Focus on optimizing antibiotic initiation and early discontinuation using PCT guidance.

Main Results:

• PCT-guided antibiotic stewardship has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing antibiotic consumption.
• This approach has shown potential for improving clinical outcomes in sepsis patients.
• The developed protocol provides a framework for clinicians to utilize PCT in managing sepsis.

Conclusions:

• PCT-guided antibiotic stewardship is a valuable tool for combating antibiotic resistance in intensive care settings.
• Implementing PCT-based algorithms can lead to more judicious antibiotic use and better patient outcomes.
• The Balkan expert consensus protocol offers a practical approach for clinicians to adopt PCT-guided sepsis management.