Trends of antibiotic use at the end-of-life of cancer and non-cancer decedents: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study (2006–2018)

The study aimed to assess the burden of antibiotic use among end-of-life (EOL) patients in South Korea and compare trends between cancer and non-cancer decedents. Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database was used to calculate annual antibiotic consumption rates and prescription rates. Results showed that overall antibiotic consumption rates decreased slightly among decedents in their final month, with a less pronounced annual decrease among cancer decedents. However, utilization and prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics steadily increased, and prescription rates were higher in cancer decedents compared to non-cancer controls. The findings suggest that patients at the EOL, especially those with cancer, are increasingly exposed to broad-spectrum antibiotics, necessitating measures of antibiotic stewardship.