To prescribe or not: a two-center retrospective observational study of antibiotics usage and outcomes of COVID-19 in Turkey


Karakoc H. N., Aydin M., Ozcan S. N., Olcar Y., Sumlu E., Dindar E. K., ...More

Scientific Reports, vol.14, no.1, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 14 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1038/s41598-024-72086-8
  • Journal Name: Scientific Reports
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Keywords: Antibiotic usage, Bacterial co-infections, COVID-19, Mortality, SARS-CoV-2
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study conducted in Turkey between December 2020 and June 2022 aimed to assess antibiotic use, bacterial co-infections, and the associated factors on mortality in hospitalized patients with mild-to-severe COVID-19. Among the 445 patients, 80% received antibiotics, with fluoroquinolones being the most common choice, followed by beta-lactams and combinations. Various clinical and laboratory parameters, including symptoms, comorbidities, CCI, oxygen requirements, and CRP levels were observed to be elevated in the antibiotic group. Non-survivors had more ICU admissions and longer hospital stays compared to survivors. We conducted a multivariate Cox regression analysis to evaluate factors related to mortality. However, we did not find an association between antibiotic use and mortality [HR 2.7 (95% CI 0.4–20)]. The study identified significant factors associated with an antibiotic prescription, such as CCI (OR 1.6), CRP (OR 2.3), and ICU admission (OR 8.8), (p < 0.05). The findings suggest re-evaluating the necessity of antibiotics in COVID-19 cases based on clinical assessments, focusing on the presence of bacterial infections rather than empirical treatment. Further research is necessary to more accurately identify patients with bacterial co-infections who would benefit from antibiotic treatment.