Antibiotic Duration

How it works

Dosage & preparation

Comparisons

Background

Other

Highlighted claims

• The intervention is a fixed 5-day index antibiotic course for suspected or confirmed sepsis. — SHORTER trial: protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of short-duration antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients with sepsis
• The intervention changes only antibiotic duration, leaving antibiotic choice to clinical teams and local guidelines. — SHORTER trial: protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of short-duration antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients with sepsis
• The control group receives antibiotic duration according to standard care. — SHORTER trial: protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of short-duration antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients with sepsis
• Additional antibiotics may be used after the 5-day course when clinically indicated for safety. — SHORTER trial: protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of short-duration antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients with sepsis
• Earlier sepsis guidance recommended 7-10 days of antibiotics, while newer guidance encourages shorter courses with weak evidence. — SHORTER trial: protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of short-duration antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients with sepsis
• The biological rationale for shorter therapy is that sepsis-related organ dysfunction may reflect immune dysregulation rather than antibiotic failure. — SHORTER trial: protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial of short-duration antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients with sepsis