Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40483627›Full record

SynthesisInfection2025

Antimicrobial treatment for 7 versus 14 days in patients with bacteremia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Marlene Prager, Felix Bergmann, Lena Pracher, Dragan Copic, Jasmin Zessner-Spitzenberg, Georg Gelbenegger, Heimo Lagler, Nicole Harrison, Heinz Burgmann, Markus Zeitlinger and 1 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Infection, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Optimal antibiotic use in the intensive care unit.Critical care (London, England) · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Marlene PragerDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
Felix BergmannDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
Lena PracherDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
Dragan CopicDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology & Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Jasmin Zessner-SpitzenbergDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Georg GelbeneggerDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria.
Heimo LaglerDepartment of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Nicole HarrisonDepartment of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Heinz BurgmannDepartment of Medicine I, Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Markus ZeitlingerDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria. markus.zeitlinger@meduniwien.ac.at.
Anselm JordaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, Vienna, 1090, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe optimal duration of antibiotic treatment in patients with bacteremia is a matter of ongoing debate.

methodsWe conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared 7 days with 14 days of antimicrobial treatment in adults with bacteremia. The systematic search included trials published until December 2024. Efficacy outcomes included 90-day all-cause mortality, recurrence of bacteremia and mean length of hospital stay. Safety outcomes included the total number of adverse events, Clostridioides difficile infections, diarrhea, acute kidney injury, rash or emergence of antibiotic resistance.

resultsThe final analysis included four randomized controlled trials with a total of 4790 participants. Death by day 90 occurred in 321 (13.3%) of 2406 patients receiving antibiotic treatment for 7 days and 342 (14.3%) of 2384 patients receiving antibiotic treatment for 14 days (RR 0.93 [95% CI, 0.81 to 1.07)]; p = 0.30; prediction interval 0.74 to 1.17). The mean hospital stay did not differ significantly (mean difference - 0.18 days [95% CI, -1.03 to 0.67]; p = 0.69; prediction interval - 2.57 to 2.22). Recurrence of bacteremia was similar between antibiotic treatment for 7 days (64 [2.7%] of 2406) and antibiotic treatment for 14 days (56 [2.3%] of 2384) (RR 1.14 [95% CI, 0.80 to 1.63)]; p = 0.47; prediction interval 0.64 to 2.03). Safety outcomes, including the total number of adverse events, Clostridioides difficile infections, diarrhea, acute kidney injury, rash, and antibiotic resistance, were similar between groups.

conclusionsThis meta-analysis suggests that 7-day and 14-day antimicrobial treatment is associated with a similar efficacy and safety profile in patients with bacteremia.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsBacteremiaHumansLength of StayRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibioticBacteriaBloodstream infection (BSI)Gram-positiveTreatment duration

Identifiers

PMID40483627
PMCPMC12460493

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.