Introduction of Procalcitonin Testing and Antibiotic Utilization for Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

摘要

Background:The majority of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are triggered by nonbacterial causes, yet most patients receive antibiotics. Treatment guided by procalcitonin (PCT), a sensitive biomarker of bacterial infection, safely decreases antibiotic use in many controlled trials. We evaluated PCT implementation for inpatients with AECOPD at a large academic hospital.