PROcalcitonin Impact on Antibiotic Reduction, adverSe Events and AVoidable healthcarE Costs (ProSAVE): A RCT

Inclusion Criteria: * Hospitalized adult patients ≥ 18 years of age * Suspected or confirmed pneumonia \<28 days at time of admission to the hospital (ED) who are prescribed antibiotics * Minimum of 2 (two) blood samples available for PCT value assessment within 24 hours of hospitalization Exclusion Criteria: * Patient has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 * Non-hospitalized patients * Patients admitted to home health * Major surgeries, defined as any procedure in which an incision is made with the exception of superficial procedures (eyes, cornea, skin, dental procedures), organs removed, or normal anatomy altered (e.g. open thoracic, abdominal and/or major orthopedic surgery), in the past 1 month or expected surgical procedure or patient receiving antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis * Active metastatic cancer or neuroendocrine tumor or liquid tumor and/or on check point inhibitors within 3 months or has signs of mucositis (e.g. mouth lesions or intestinal bleeding) * Known pregnancy * Primary and acquired cell-mediated immune deficiency (HIV with CD4 \<350 cells/mm³; receipt of systemic chemotherapy and/or biologics in the past 3 months for reasons other than malignancy) * Infection where long course antibiotics are the standard of care(\>2 weeks) other than anti-inflammatory reasons. * Neutropenia (\<1,500 ANC) * Concomitant non-pulmonary bacterial infection that requires antibiotic therapy based on an active medical team decision * Antibiotics given for non-infectious in…