Rationale: Recent research indicates that shorter antibiotic courses can be as effective as prolonged treatments in many cases. This has been demonstrated for severe pneumonia in intensive care patients, intra-abdominal infections with source control, and gram-negative bacteremia.
Prolonged antibiotic use increases the risk of adverse effects and complications, such as Clostridium difficile colitis. The duration of antibiotic therapy should be guided by an understanding of the natural course of the infection, clinical symptoms, and inflammatory markers. If there is source control and a favorable clinical and biochemical response, stopping antibiotics should be considered rather than adhering to a predefined treatment duration.
References
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