Outcomes in hospitalised patients with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock and reported penicillin allergy: a retrospective cohort study

Objective To determine outcomes in hospitalised patients with sepsis and reported penicillin allergy (PcnA). Design Observational retrospective cohort study using data from electronic health records. Setting A large single health system with 11 hospitals of small, medium and large sizes including a 630-bed tertiary care teaching hospital. Participants Patients (n=5238) >= 18 years of age, hospitalised with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018, received antibacterial agents, and had documented PcnA status. Patients Outcome measures Primary outcomes evaluated were inpatient mortality and 30-day mortality posthospital discharge. Secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay, 30-day readmissions, duration of antibiotic use, rate of Clostridium difficile infection and total cost of care. Results There was no difference in outcomes including inpatient or 30-day mortality, hospital length of stay, in-hospital antibiotic duration, C. difficile infection, total cost of care and 30-day readmission rate between patients labelled with a PcnA vs patients who did not report PcnA (non-PcnA). Conclusion In this retrospective single health system study, there was no difference in key outcomes including inpatient or 30-day mortality in patients admitted with sepsis and reported PcnA compared with patients who reported no PcnA.

Automated summary

This retrospective cohort study analyzed the outcomes of hospitalized patients with sepsis and reported penicillin allergy. The study found no difference in key outcomes between patients with reported penicillin allergy and those without.