The Ottawa Hospital site co-led by Drs. Lauralyn McIntyre and Derek MacFadden enrolled 98 patients.A large clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that treating hospitalized patients with bloodstream infection with antibiotics for seven days is as effective as a 14-day treatment. 

Bloodstream infections are common and responsible for nearly three million deaths per year globally. Early antibiotic treatment plays a critical role in patient survival, but the optimal treatment length has been understudied. This randomized controlled trial included 3,608 patients with bloodstream infections in 74 hospitals across seven countries. 

The primary outcome, death at 90 days, occurred in 14.5 per cent of patients receiving seven-day treatment and in 16.1 per cent of patients receiving 14-day treatment. This showed the shorter duration treatment was just as good, which could help reduce both the development of antimicrobial resistance and drug costs. 

The trial was led out of Sunnybrook. The Ottawa Hospital site co-led by Drs. Lauralyn McIntyre and Derek MacFadden enrolled 98 patients. See press release for more.

Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Health Research Council of New Zealand, Australian National Medical Research Council, Physicians Services Incorporated Ontario and Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term Care Innovation Fund.

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