title: Duration of Antimicrobial Therapy in Treating Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections: A Comprehensive Review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgeons managing intra-abdominal infections should always respect the basic principles of antibiotic treatment. An adequate duration of antimicrobial therapy is important to optimize empiric therapy and minimize selective pressures favoring antimicrobial resistance.
  
  
  METHODS
  The optimal duration of antibiotic therapy for intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) has been debated in the last years. A literature research, based on PubMed database and limited to English language publications, was performed without restriction of time or type of manuscript.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In stable patients a short course of antimicrobial therapy (3-5 d) after adequate source control, depending on fever and leukocytosis, may be a reasonable option. In critically ill patients with severe sepsis and septic shock, an individualized approach is always mandatory and patient's inflammatory response should be monitored regularly. Procalcitonin may be helpful for guiding antibiotic treatment in critically ill surgical patients and in predicting treatment response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General surgeons managing intra-abdominal infections should always respect the basic principles of antibiotic treatment. Duration of antimicrobial treatment is an important variable to evaluate in treating complicated intra-abdominal infections.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Surgery, Macerata Hospital , Macerata, Italy .
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sartelli
authors.affiliation: 2 Emergency Surgery Department, Maggiore Parma Hospital , Parma, Italy .
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catena
authors.affiliation: 3 General Surgery Department, Papa Giovanna XXIII Hospital , Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ansaloni
authors.affiliation: 3 General Surgery Department, Papa Giovanna XXIII Hospital , Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coccolini
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Surgery, Maggiore Bologna Hospital , Bologna, Italy .
authors.forename: Salomone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Saverio
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital , Birmingham, United Kingdom .
authors.forename: Ewen A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D059413:Intraabdominal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents