ArticleBMC geriatrics2026
Antibiotic prescription for older patients in end-of-life care: a randomized survey among physicians in Switzerland.
Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionPneumonia is a common infection at the end of life, yet the benefits of antibiotics for symptom relief or prolonged survival remain uncertain. This study aimed to investigate physicians' attitudes and factors influencing antibiotic prescription in aspiration pneumonia in frail older patients in palliative care settings across Switzerland.
methodsA survey was conducted among physicians practicing in internal medicine, geriatrics and family medicine, in hospital or ambulatory settings across Switzerland's three linguistic regions. Participants were randomized to receive one of three clinical vignettes describing a geriatric patient with aspiration pneumonia, with variations in advance directives, functional dependency and dementia status. They were asked whether they would prescribe antibiotics and to explain their reasoning. The survey also collected participant demographics, including age, linguistic region, practice setting and palliative care experience.
resultsAmong the 195 participants, 22.1% opted to prescribe antibiotics. The primary reason for prescribing antibiotics was to alleviate dyspnea. Physicians were significantly more likely to prescribe antibiotics for patients with better functional status. Notably, 76.4% believed withholding antibiotics could shorten life, while 77.9% did not think antibiotics improved comfort. Physicians practicing in French-speaking regions were more likely to prescribe antibiotics than their counterparts in German- and Italian-speaking regions (33.7% vs 13.8% and 11.1% respectively.) Age, practice setting and palliative care experience were not significantly associated with prescribing behaviour. Additionally, 77.9% of physicians stated that they would modify their decision if the patient's family disagreed with their initial choice.
conclusionThese findings highlight ongoing uncertainties and cultural variations in antibiotic prescribing practices at the end of life, highlighting the need for clinical decision-support tools and educational resources directed not only at physicians, but also at nursing teams, families, and caregivers. In the context of an aging population and rising antimicrobial resistance, a deeper understanding of the factors influencing antibiotic use in palliative care is essential to inform the development of targeted antimicrobial stewardship interventions aligned with patient values and palliative care goals.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.