Utilization of Antibiotics for the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections in End-of-Life Patients.

This article focuses on the utilization of antibiotics for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in hospice patients, examining prescribing practices relative to patients' palliative performance scale (PPS) scores. In a multi-center retrospective cohort study of 56 hospice patients treated with oral antibiotics for UTIs, only half of the antibiotic prescriptions were appropriately initiated based on documented symptoms, with no significant difference in appropriateness between patients with PPS scores below or above 30%. Fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics, and inappropriate prescribing was more frequent among patients residing in long-term care facilities compared to those in residential settings. The findings highlight concerns about unnecessary antibiotic use in end-of-life care, which may increase risks of adverse effects and antibiotic resistance without clear symptomatic benefit.