Background: This study aimed to evaluate the profile of antimicrobial consumption in patients assisted by a palliative care (PC) team during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in a quaternary hospital. Patients assisted by the PC team in 2020 were selected. The clinical and demographic characteristics, as well as the outcomes, were assessed using electronic records.
Results: A total of 181 patients were included in the study, of whom 93.4% had used antimicrobials and 24.3% had had COVID-19. COVID-19 patients were more likely to receive at least one course of antimicrobial therapy. Patients who received polytherapy in the first course of treatment were more likely to die and to be still receiving antimicrobials at death. There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay, new hospitalization in 12 months, nor the time to death among patients who received monotherapy or polytherapy during the first course of antimicrobial therapy.
Conclusions: There was a large amount of PC patients receiving antimicrobial therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were more likely to receive antimicrobial therapy.
Keywords: COVID-19; anti-infective agents; antibiotics; antimicrobial agent; palliative care; pandemic.