{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T05:44:35Z","timestamp":1789623875783,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,6]],"date-time":"2024-03-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1709683200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) escalates globally, examining antibiotic treatment durations for respiratory infections becomes increasingly pertinent, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a UK secondary care setting, this retrospective study was carried out to assess the appropriateness of antibiotic treatment durations\u2014shorter (\u22645 days) versus longer (6\u20137 days and &gt;8 days)\u2014for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in 640 adults across 2019 and 2020, in accordance with local antimicrobial guidelines. The analysis employed these guidelines and clinical evidence to examine the effectiveness and suitability of antibiotic prescribing practices. This study considered the \u2018Shorter Is Better\u2019 approach, noting an increased rate of patient discharges associated with shorter antibiotic regimens (\u22645 days). It further demonstrates that shorter treatments are as effective as longer ones for conditions such as COPD exacerbation, COVID-19 pneumonia, and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), except in cases of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and unspecified diagnoses. Nevertheless, this study raises concerns over an observed increase in mortality risk with shorter treatment durations. Although these mortality differences were not statistically significant and might have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for extended research with a larger sample size is highlighted to confirm these findings. This study also emphasises the critical need for accurate and specific diagnoses and considering risk assessments at admission, advocating for tailored, evidence-based antibiotic prescribing to ensure patient safety. It contributes to antimicrobial stewardship efforts by reinforcing the importance of adapting antibiotic use to current healthcare challenges and promoting a global commitment to fight antimicrobial resistance. This approach is crucial for enhancing patient outcomes and saving lives on a global scale.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph17030339","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,6]],"date-time":"2024-03-06T04:03:50Z","timestamp":1709697830000},"page":"339","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Shorter and Longer Antibiotic Durations for Respiratory Infections: To Fight Antimicrobial Resistance\u2014A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study in a Secondary Care Setting in the UK"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8954-0817","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rasha","family":"Abdelsalam Elshenawy","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nkiruka","family":"Umaru","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2567-0540","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zoe","family":"Aslanpour","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Coque, T.M., Cant\u00f3n, R., P\u00e9rez-Cobas, A.E., Fern\u00e1ndez-de-Bobadilla, M.D., and Baquero, F. 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