Duration of antibiotic therapy in patients with acute cholecystitis managed with cholecystostomy. Does it affect clinical outcomes?

Introduction. In patients with acute cholecystitis who receive treatment with cholecystostomy, the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy is unknown. The aim of this work is to compare short courses of antibiotics (7 days or less) with long courses (more than 7 days) in this population. Methods. We performed a retrospective observational cohort study which included patients diagnosed with acute cholecystitis, who received antibiotic therapy and were taken to cholecystostomy. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association between clinical variables and the duration of antibiotic therapy. The main outcome evaluated was 30-day mortality. Results. Seventy-two patients were included, 75% (n=54) received more than 7 days of antibiotics and 25% (n=18) received 7 or fewer days of antibiotics. Demographic data between both groups were similar (age, severity of cholecystitis, comorbidities). There were no significant differences in 30-day mortality between both groups. Antibiotic duration did not influence mortality at 30 days (OR 0.956 95% CI 0.797-1.146). Conclusion. There are no significant differences in the clinical outcomes of patients with acute cholecystitis who undergo cholecystostomy and receive short courses of antibiotics compared to long courses.