Second, since antibiotics were withheld based on PCT levels, this may have introduced a bias to the favor of PCT.
For patients in whom antibiotics are withheld based on ProCT levels of 0.25 μg/l or below, a follow-up measurement of ProCT within 24 hours is mandatory.
A meta-analysis by Quiroz et al. with pooled results involving 15 studies and 3,500 patients with suspected PE suggested that clinical outcome is not adversely affected if anticoagulant therapy is withheld based on a negative CT scan with a negative predictive value of 99.1%% [ 45].
Information provided was contradictory, lacked sufficient detail (e.g. regarding breastfeeding and caring for a newborn) or timing (e.g. when women in rural and remote areas would need to leave their community to attend hospital for birth), or was withheld based on false assumptions (e.g. multiparous women not advised and supported with breastfeeding).
"It seems inappropriate that life-saving care has the potential to be withheld based solely on budgetary issues and the bureaucratic determination of relative benefits," said Dr. Robert S. Gaston, president-elect of the American Society of Transplantation.
Fluids should not be withheld based just on the presence of edema, because edema formation may be the result of extravasation of fluids, which decreases blood volume, an effect demonstrated by Dr Weil decades ago [ 32].
After rabies exposure in humans, PEP is initiated or withheld based on the postmortem diagnosis of animals that were the source of exposure.
Although the allowance is not based on performance, in practice, it may be withheld if APE reports are incomplete or delayed.
Based on the available evidence, transfusion in the critically ill patient without active ischemic heart disease should generally be withheld until the hemoglobin level falls to 7 g/dl.
Based on these three scenarios, the survey sought responses as to whether the available treatment options should or should not be withheld or withdrawn.
