title: Conservative initiation of antimicrobial treatment in ICU patients with suspected ICU-acquired infection: more haste less speed.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the recent literature supporting the idea that in some patients suspected of having a new ICU-acquired infection, antibiotics can be withheld until evidence to confirm diagnosis is obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent publications demonstrate that in community-acquired pneumonia, severe sepsis presenting to the emergency room, and suspected ICU-acquired infection, the time to antibiotic therapy does not necessarily seem to be a key determinant of outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the ICU, patients without septic shock but suspected of having an ICU-acquired infection may be able to have antibiotics withheld until infection is confirmed using a combination of laboratory, radiologic, and microbiological data.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Tjasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hranjec
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sawyer
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents