Do peripheral blood cultures taken in the emergency department influence clinical management?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Blood cultures are routinely used to investigate suspected sepsis in the emergency department despite several studies showing their limited influence on patient management.

Objectives

To quantify the use and clinical relevance of blood cultures obtained in the emergency department.

Methods

A retrospective study of blood cultures taken in the emergency department between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2004. Microbiology results and patients' records were reviewed to determine the influence of positive cultures on subsequent patient management.

Results

2213 blood cultures were taken in the emergency department over the study period. 132 (6%) yielded a positive result. Three positive cultures had incomplete information. Of the remaining 129 positive cultures, 30 (1.4% of all cultures) were "true positives" and 4 (0.18%) influenced subsequent patient management.

Conclusions

Blood cultures taken in our emergency department (Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, UK) rarely yield bacterial growth, and over 2 years only four cultures seemed to directly influence patient management. Better guidelines are required for targeted use of blood cultures in the emergency department.

SUBMITTER: Munro PT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2660033 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature