Can C-reactive Protein Testing Help Guide Antibiotic Therapy for Outpatients With COPD Exacerbations?

Abstract

Synopsis: C-reactive protein may be a useful point-of-care tool to assist in antibiotic guidance in outpatients with an acute COPD exacerbation. This multicenter, randomized controlled trial demonstrated that CRP guided prescribing results in lower antibiotic use with no effect on quality of life. Source: Butler CC, Gillespie D, White P, et al. C-reactive protein testing to guide antibiotic prescribing for COPD exacerbations. N Engl J Med. 2019;381:111–120.