%0 Journal Article
%T UK clinicians' attitudes towards the application of molecular diagnostics to guide antibiotic use in ICU patients with pneumonias: a quantitative study.
%A Stewart SF
%A Pandolfo AM
%A Moon Z
%A Jani Y
%A Brett SJ
%A Brealey D
%A Singh S
%A Enne VI
%A Livermore DM
%A Gant V
%A Horne R
%J J Antimicrob Chemother
%V 79
%N 1
%D 2024 Jan 3
%M 37970680
%F 5.758
%R 10.1093/jac/dkad355
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Molecular diagnostic tests may improve antibiotic prescribing by enabling earlier tailoring of antimicrobial therapy. However, clinicians' trust and acceptance of these tests will determine their application in practice.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To examine ICU prescribers' views on the application of molecular diagnostics in patients with suspected hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Sixty-three ICU clinicians from five UK hospitals completed a cross-sectional questionnaire between May 2020 and July 2020 assessing attitudes towards using molecular diagnostics to inform initial agent choice and to help stop broad-spectrum antibiotics early.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Attitudes towards using molecular diagnostics to inform initial treatment choices and to stop broad-spectrum antibiotics early were nuanced. Most (83%) were positive about molecular diagnostics, agreeing that using results to inform broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing is good practice. However, many (58%) believed sick patients are often too unstable to risk stopping broad-spectrum antibiotics based on a negative result.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Positive attitudes towards the application of molecular diagnostics to improve antibiotic stewardship were juxtapositioned against the perceived need to initiate and maintain broad-spectrum antibiotics to protect unstable patients.