title: Adequacy of early empiric antibiotic treatment and survival in severe sepsis: experience from the MONARCS trial.
abstract: As part of the Monoclonal Anti-TNF: A Randomized Controlled Sepsis (MONARCS) trial, which enrolled patients with suspected sepsis, we sought to determine whether adequate antibiotic therapy was associated with a decreased mortality rate. The study enrolled 2634 patients, 91% of whom received adequate antibiotic therapy. The mortality rate among patients given adequate antibiotic treatment was 33%, versus 43% among patients given inadequate treatment (P<.001). We conclude that adequate antibiotic therapy results in a significant decrease in the crude mortality rate among patients suspected of sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. rmacarthur@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: Rodger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: MacArthur
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Albertson
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Panacek
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Teoh
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Barchuk
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents