Rapid Diagnostic Tests and Their Effect on Antimicrobial Stewardship

For hospitalized, critically ill patients with sepsis, accurate and timely administration of antimicrobial agents is essential to prevent mortality. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have revolutionized management for these patients and become one of the most powerful tools for antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). Although routinely used laboratory methods, such as Gram stains, provide helpful guidance in some clinical circumstances, they do not predict antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. In addition, routine laboratory methods often result in prolonged use of unnecessarily broad-spectrum antimicrobials or ineffective therapy.