| Title: |
Procalcitonin evaluation of antibiotic use in COVID-19 hospitalised patients: The PEACH mixed methods study |
| Authors: |
Euden, J.; Albur, M.; Bestwick, R.; Bond, S.; Brookes-Howell, L.; Dark, P.; Gerver, S.; Grozeva, D.; Hamilton, R.; Heginbothom, M.; Hellyer, T.; Henley, J.; Hope, R.; Hopkins, S.; Howard, P.; Howdon, D.; King, N.; Knox-Macaulay, C.; Llewelyn, M.; Maboshe, W.; McCullagh, I.; Ogden, M.; Pallmann, P.; Parsons, H.; Partridge, D.; Powell, N.; Prestwich, G.; Richman, C.; Shaw, D.; Shinkins, B.; Szakmany, T.; Thomas-Jones, E.; Todd, S.; Webb, E.; West, R.; Carrol, E.; Sandoe, J. |
| Publisher Information: |
National Institute for Health and Care Research |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
White Rose Research Online (Universities of Leeds, Sheffield & York) |
| Description: |
Background Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there was concern about potentially unnecessary antibiotic prescribing in the National Health Service. Procalcitonin testing was being used in some hospitals to guide antibiotic use. This study aimed to investigate the impact of procalcitonin testing on United Kingdom’s antibiotic prescribing and health outcomes. Methods Mixed-methods study comprising quantitative, qualitative and health economic work packages, including a: 1. survey of National Health Service hospitals to understand procalcitonin use 2. retrospective, controlled, interrupted time series analysis of aggregated, organisation-level data, including antibiotic dispensing, hospital activity and procalcitonin testing from acute hospital trusts/hospitals in England/Wales. Primary outcome: change in level and/or trend of antibiotic prescribing rates following introduction of procalcitonin 3. multicentre, retrospective, cohort study of 5960 patients using patient-level clinical data from 11 trusts/health boards to determine the difference in early antibiotic prescribing between COVID-19 patients who did/did not have baseline procalcitonin testing by using propensity score matching. Primary outcome: days of early antibiotic therapy 4. qualitative study exploring the decision-making process around antibiotic use for inpatients with COVID-19 pneumonia to identify the contextual factors, feasibility and acceptability of procalcitonin testing algorithms 5. health economic analysis evaluating the cost-effectiveness of baseline procalcitonin testing using the matched data within a decision-analytic model. Setting Acute hospital trusts/health boards in England/Wales. Participants Inpatients ≥ 16 years, admitted to participating trusts/health boards and with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test between 1 February 2020 and 30 June 2020, National Health Service healthcare workers. Results Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, procalcitonin use was expanded/introduced in many National Health Service hospitals, with variation in ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
text |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
1366-5278 |
| Relation: |
https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/237160/1/Procalcitonin%20evaluation%20of%20antibiotic%20use%20in%20COVID-19%20hospitalised.pdf; Euden, J., Albur, M., Bestwick, R. et al. (34 more authors) (2025) Procalcitonin evaluation of antibiotic use in COVID-19 hospitalised patients: The PEACH mixed methods study. Health Technology Assessment, 29 (52). pp. 1-32. ISSN: 1366-5278 |
| Availability: |
https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/237160/; https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hta/published-articles/GGFF9393 |
| Rights: |
cc_by_4 |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.2F196F9A |
| Database: |
BASE |