TALİHA KARAKÖK, AHMET DOĞAN, ONUR ACAR
Düzce Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi - 2025;27(1):17-22
Aim: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had and continues to directly impact antibiotic management. This study aimed to evaluate antibiotic use and its impact on intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Material and Methods: The medical records of 324 COVID-19 patients aged ≥18 years who had clinical signs of infection and were followed up in the service were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups, those who received antibiotics and those who did not. Patients transferred from the ICU to the ward, discharged on the first day, or had missing data were excluded from the study. Results: Of the patients, 172 (53.1%) were male, 152 (46.9%) were female, and 212 (65.4%) received antibiotic treatment. Hospitalization longer than one week (p<0.001), pulse steroid use (p=0.011), ICU admission (p=0.002) and mortality (p<0.001) were significantly higher in patients receiving antibiotics. While CRP (p<0.001), PCT (p=0.001), and ferritin (p=0.017) values obtained at admission and 48-72 hours were also found to be higher in antibiotic-using patients, there was no difference in CRP value (p=0.052) at discharge. Duration of hospitalization, antibiotic use, pulse steroid use, and being 60 years and older were found to be risk factors for mortality and ICU admission. Conclusion: Overusing antibiotics in COVID-19 patients did not have a positive effect on mortality and ICU requirements. Considering the harms of excessive antibiotic use, recommendations and practices that lead to rational antibiotic use are needed. Furthermore, factors predicting mortality and ICU can be used in clinical practice.
