Antimicrobial use in patients with end-of-life status in intensive care units: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Year: 2026
Type: review
Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
Abstract: Objectives: Advances in critical care have increased antimicrobial use in intensive care units (ICUs), often extending to end-of-life patients without clear clinical benefit. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated antimicrobial use in critically ill ICU patients with end-of-life care status. Methods: A comprehensive search of Medline (PubMed) and Embase identified articles published from January 2000 through August 2023. Interventional and observational studies focusing on antimicrobial use for critically ill ICU patients with end-of-life status were included. Study types, demographics, clinical characteristics, and antimicrobial use (i.e., continuation or discontinuation) were extracted. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the proportion of antimicrobial use, with subgroup analyses by region and national income status. Results: =99.7%, P<0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed regional differences: 0.50 (95% CI, 0.11-0.89) in North America, 0.40 (95% CI, 0.10-0.76) in Europe, and 0.24 (95% CI, 0.10-0.76) in the Asia-Pacific region. Conclusions: Despite increasing emphasis on judicious antimicrobial use, studies comprehensively assessing antimicrobial prescribing in ICU patients with end-of-life care status remain scarce. Based on the limited available evidence, approximately one-third of such patients received antimicrobials. Regional differences in prescribing patterns were also observed, potentially influencing overall antimicrobial consumption in ICUs.
Source: PubMed
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7127375082