The impact of palliative care consultation on reducing antibiotic overuse in hospitalized patients with terminal cancer at the end of life: a propensity score-weighting study.

This article examines the impact of palliative care consultation on antibiotic use in hospitalized patients with terminal metastatic solid cancer during the end-of-life phase at a tertiary medical center in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The study found that patients who received palliative care consultation more than three days before death were significantly less likely to receive antibiotics—including broad-spectrum agents such as carbapenems, glycopeptides, and quinolones—within three days before death compared to those without such consultation. Multivariable analysis indicated that palliative care consultation independently reduced antibiotic use near death, suggesting that goals-of-care discussions and improved communication facilitated by palliative teams may influence antibiotic prescribing decisions. The study highlights the complexity of antibiotic use at the end of life, influenced by ethical considerations and cultural factors, and calls for further prospective research to clarify appropriate antibiotic use in this context.