Limitations
Although this study provides novel data, it is primarily limited by cohort size. Larger groups would allow for risk stratification of patients to identify patient-specific risk factors that result in multiple courses of antibiotics or susceptibility to adverse treatment events. Additionally, multi-centre studies would reduce chance of error and offer statistical comparisons with our own cohort.
Adverse effects from treatment can also be caused by other confounding factors, particularly in this multimorbid patient group. Therefore, we did not count all abnormal results in our research to avoid this. We only evidenced drug discontinuations that clinicians felt was directly related to the antibiotic and subsequently required change. Additionally, other clinical deterioration and inpatient admissions that occurred during treatment that was not thought to be directly related to antibiotic treatment were excluded.