Structured Abstract

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Key Informants
• Technical Expert Panel
• Peer Reviewers
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  • Background
  • Scope and Key Questions
  • Organization of This Report
• Methods
  • Topic Refinement and Review Protocol
  • Literature Search Strategy
  • Risk of Bias Assessment of Individual Studies
  • Data Synthesis
  • Strength of Evidence of the Body of Evidence
  • Applicability
  • Peer Review and Public Commentary
• Results
  • Results of Literature Searches
  • Description of Included Studies
  • Key Question 1 PK/PD Measures for Dosing or Monitoring
  • Key Question 2 Prolonged or Continuous Infusions
  • Key Question 3 Subgroup Analyses
• Discussion
  • Key Findings and Strength of Evidence
  • Implications for Clinical and Policy Decisionmaking
  • Limitations of the Systematic Review Process
  • Limitations of the Evidence Base
  • Research Gaps
• References
• Appendix A Exact Search Strings
• Appendix B Risk of Bias Assessment
• Appendix C Excluded Studies
• Appendix D Evidence Tables

Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services¹, Contract No. 290-2012-00008-I. Prepared by: RTI International–University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center, Research Triangle Park, NC

Suggested citation:

Lux LJ, Posey RE, Daniels LS, Henke DC, Durham C, Jonas DE, Lohr KN. Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Measures for Guiding Antibiotic Treatment for Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia. Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 136. (Prepared by the RTI–University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2012-00008-I.) AHRQ Publication No. 14(15)-EHC032-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; November 2014. www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/reports/final.cfm.

This report is based on research conducted by the RTI International–University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. 290-2012-00008-I). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision of clinical care should consider this report in the same way as any medical reference and in conjunction with all other pertinent information, i.e., in the context of available resources and circumstances presented by individual patients.

AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of any derivative products that may be developed from this report, such as clinical practice guidelines, other quality enhancement tools, or reimbursement or coverage policies, may not be stated or implied.

This report may periodically be assessed for currency. If an assessment is done, the resulting surveillance report describing the methodology and findings will be found on the Effective Health Care Program Web site at: www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov. Search on the title of the report.

None of the investigators have any affiliations or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report.

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