The American journal of medicine
-
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy and its effect on survival in a clinical trial of immunomodulating therapy for severe sepsis.
To examine the effect of inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy on the prognosis of patients with sepsis who were enrolled in a clinical trial of an immunomodulating agent conducted in 108 hospitals in North America and Europe. ⋯ In a large cohort of patients with microbiologically confirmed severe sepsis, appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy was an important determinant of survival. New approaches aimed at improving detection and treatment of early sepsis are needed.