Could a simple blood test curb antibiotic overuse in sick kids?

NCT ID NCT05350813

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: University Hospital, Toulouse Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 11, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether using a blood marker called procalcitonin (PCT) to guide antibiotic decisions can safely shorten treatment duration in children with bacterial infections in intensive care. About 296 children will be randomly assigned to either PCT-guided care or standard practice, and their total antibiotic use will be compared over 28 days. The goal is to see if this approach reduces unnecessary antibiotic exposure without compromising recovery.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: A procalcitonin (PCT)-guided algorithm to determine when to stop antibiotics, compared with standard care based on guidelines.
What this could lead to: If effective, this approach could reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure in hospitalized children, lowering side effects and the risk of antibiotic resistance.
What could go wrong: The trial is relatively small and open-label, which may introduce bias. The algorithm may not be suitable for all infections, and there is a risk of undertreatment if it guides stopping antibiotics too early.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

bacterial infectious disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BACTERIAL INFECTIONS

Contacts and locations

Locations

APHP
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Paris, France
CHU Amiens Picardie
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Amiens, France
CHU La Réunion
RECRUITING

Saint-Denis, France
CHU de Bordeaux
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Bordeaux, France
CHU de Clermont Ferrand
RECRUITING

Clermont-Ferrand, France
CHU de NANTES
RECRUITING

Nantes, France
University Hospital of Lille
TERMINATED

Lille, France
University Hospital of Toulouse
RECRUITING

Toulouse, 31100, France

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