The bacteremia antibiotic length actually needed for clinical effectiveness research program (balance.ccctg.ca)

Abstract

A multitude of global health organizations have declared antimicrobial resistance a threat to health, based on rapidly increasing resistance rates and declining new drug development. Up to 30%–50% of antibiotic use is estimated to be inappropriate, and excessive durations of treatment are the greatest contributor to inappropriate use. A landmark trial in critically ill patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia showed that mortality and relapse rates were noninferior in patients who received 8 versus 15 days of treatment, but similar evidence is lacking for the treatment of patients with bloodstream infection, which affects 15% of critically ill patients. The Bacteremia Antibiotic Length Actually Needed for Clinical Effectiveness (BALANCE) research program was initiated to provide evidence-based guidance on this question.