Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41549319›Full record

ArticleAnnals of clinical microbiology and antimicrobials2026

The impact of the timing of mNGS-guided antibiotic adjustment on clinical outcomes in ICU patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective study.

Yong Sun, Kai Guo, Jing Tang, Junjie Zhao, Xiaojing Zhang, Youqin Yan, Lingmin Yuan, Yi Zhang, Canhu Qiu, Jian Luo and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of clinical microbiology and antimicrobials, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. 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

12 authors.

Yong Sun *Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China.
Kai Guo *Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China.
Jing Tang *Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China.
Junjie ZhaoEmergency and Critical Care Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, 310014, Zhejiang, China.
Xiaojing ZhangWillingMed Technology Beijing Co., Ltd, Beijing, 101103, China.
Youqin YanDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, People's Hospital of Changshan County, Quzhou, 324200, Zhejiang, China.
Lingmin YuanDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Longyou County People's Hospital, Quzhou, 324499, Zhejiang, China.
Yi ZhangDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, QuZhou KeCheng People's Hospital, Quzhou, 324000, Zhejiang, China.
Canhu QiuDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, Jiangshan People's Hospital, Quzhou, 324199, Zhejiang, China.
Jian LuoDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, 324000, Zhejiang, China.
Juan ChenDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, 324000, Zhejiang, China. cjdbdhfj@163.com.
Honglong FangDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, 324000, Zhejiang, China. fang124113@163.com.

Funding

the Quzhou Bureau of Science and Technology No. 2022K71Zhejiang Provincial Department of Health No. 2023KY1296
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSevere community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) remains a major cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. Prompt pathogen identification and timely administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy are essential for improving patient outcomes. Although metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) enables rapid pathogen detection, the prognostic impact of the timing of mNGS-guided antibiotic adjustment remains unclear.

methodsWe conducted a multicenter retrospective study of ICU patients diagnosed with SCAP who underwent both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) mNGS and conventional microbiological tests (CMTs). Patients were categorized into early (≤ 72 h) and late (> 72 h) antibiotic adjustment groups based on the interval from ICU admission to the time of antibiotic adjustment guided by mNGS results. Subgroup analyses were performed according to immune status.

resultsIn our study, mNGS significantly outperformed conventional microbiological tests (CMTs) in pathogen detection (92.70% vs. 57.18%, P < 0.001), with a particularly higher yield for mixed infections (51.63% vs. 19.14%, P < 0.001). Early mNGS-guided antibiotic adjustment was associated with a significantly reduced 28-day mortality compared to late adjustment (41.98% vs. 53.76%, P = 0.037). Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed early adjustment as an independent protective factor for 28-day mortality (adjusted OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.23-0.83, P = 0.011). In the immunocompromised subgroup, early mNGS-guided adjustment was associated with significantly lower 28-day mortality than late adjustment (39.29% vs. 60.00%, P = 0.029), with a significant interaction observed between timing and immune status (P = 0.042).

conclusionEarly mNGS-guided antibiotic adjustment is associated with improved survival among ICU patients with SCAP. This benefit is more pronounced in immunocompromised patients, underscoring the importance of early mNGS application to guide antimicrobial decision-making in this vulnerable population.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsCommunity-Acquired InfectionsCommunity-Acquired PneumoniaMetagenomicsAgedBronchoalveolar Lavage FluidFemaleHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHumansIntensive Care UnitsMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibiotic adjustment timingClinical outcomesMetagenomic next-generation sequencingSevere community-acquired pneumonia

Identifiers

PMID41549319
PMCPMC12895937

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.