Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41877199›Full record

Trial reportAntimicrobial resistance and infection control2026

Machine says go, doctor says no: an ecological momentary assessment analysis examining clinicians' perceptions of, and their antibiotic prescribing behaviour when using rapid molecular diagnostic tests in intensive care.

Sarah-Jane F Stewart, Virve I Enne, Alyssa M Pandolfo, Yogini H Jani, David Brealey, Stephen J Brett, David M Livermore, Vanya Gant, Rob Horne, INHALE WP Study Group

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Antimicrobial resistance and infection control, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Sarah-Jane F StewartUCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2396-9028
Virve I EnneDivision of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
Alyssa M PandolfoUCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK.
Yogini H JaniUCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK.
David BrealeyDivision of Critical Care, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Stephen J BrettDepartment of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.
David M LivermoreNorwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Vanya GantDepartment of Medical Microbiology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Rob HorneUCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK. r.horne@ucl.ac.uk.
INHALE WP Study Group

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research RP-PG-051420018Programme Development Grant NIHR205678
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRapid molecular diagnostics such as the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (the Pneumonia Panel) can improve antibiotic stewardship by supporting doctors to make more targeted antibiotic prescribing decisions faster compared to routine microbiology. However, factors influencing how these test results translate to individual prescribing decisions are poorly understood. The INHALE randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the application of the Pneumonia Panel to manage suspected hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonias (HAP/VAP) in English intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This behavioural study examines clinicians perceived and actual antibiotic prescribing behaviour, within the INHALE RCT.

methodsClinicians treating ICU patients completed brief questionnaires within 24 h of their prescribing decision for intervention-arm cases (N = 159), exploring factors influencing their decision and perceptions about the test results. Actual prescribing behaviour was extracted from the trial database. A 4-block hierarchical logistic regression identified predictors of prescriptions being consistent with Pneumonia Panel results.

results65% (N = 104) of prescribing decisions were consistent with Pneumonia Panel results. The test result itself was a dominant factor: 88% (N = 98) of decisions were consistent when results were positive (pathogens found). However, only 13% (N = 6) of decisions were consistent when no pathogens were detected. Consequently, clinicians were often reluctant to eschew initial antibiotics or de-escalate early where appropriate, 'erring on the side of caution'. Clinicians perceptions, specifically the speed of results, concurrent antibiotic treatment, the patient having additional confirmed evidence of infection, and believing the patient is unlikely to have a non-respiratory infection predicted prescribing decisions being aligned with test results (all p < .05).

conclusionsFindings have implications for the roll-out of rapid diagnostics in practice, particularly regarding the management of negative results. Implementation strategies need to be behaviourally intelligent, connecting with how clinicians think and behave.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesPhysiciansPractice Patterns, Physicians'AdultAntimicrobial StewardshipAttitude of Health PersonnelCritical CareDrug PrescriptionsEcological Momentary AssessmentFemaleHumansIntensive Care UnitsMaleMiddle AgedPneumonia, Ventilator-AssociatedAnti-Bacterial AgentsAntibiotic stewardshipPrescribing behaviourPrescribing decision-makingRapid molecular diagnostics

Identifiers

PMID41877199
PMCPMC13023110

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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.