title: Clinical outcomes associated with procalcitonin algorithms to guide antibiotic therapy in respiratory tract infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In patients with respiratory tract infection, is measurement of procalcitonin to guide antibiotic prescriptions associated with reduced antibiotic exposure without increases in all-cause mortality or treatment failure?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measurement of procalcitonin to guide initiation and duration of antibiotic treatment in patients with respiratory tract infections of varying severity is associated with lower antibiotic exposure without increasing all-cause mortality or treatment failure.
authors: Medical University Department, Kantonsspital Aarau, Tellstrasse, CH-5001 Aarau, Switzerland. schuetzph@gmail.com
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Schuetz
authors: Matthias
authors: M
authors: Briel
authors: Beat
authors: B
authors: Mueller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide