The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents

Background: The landscape of antimicrobial therapy is undergoing a profound transformation; the contemporary arsenal of antimicrobials, particularly those with extended half-lives and enhanced tissue penetration, necessitates critically reassessing these traditional paradigms. The growing emphasis o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Francesca Serapide, Salvatore Rotundo, Luca Gallelli, Caterina Palleria, Manuela Colosimo, Sara Palma Gullì, Gianmarco Marcianò, Alessandro Russo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Antibiotics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/7/727
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849714467843080192
author Francesca Serapide
Salvatore Rotundo
Luca Gallelli
Caterina Palleria
Manuela Colosimo
Sara Palma Gullì
Gianmarco Marcianò
Alessandro Russo
author_facet Francesca Serapide
Salvatore Rotundo
Luca Gallelli
Caterina Palleria
Manuela Colosimo
Sara Palma Gullì
Gianmarco Marcianò
Alessandro Russo
author_sort Francesca Serapide
collection DOAJ
description Background: The landscape of antimicrobial therapy is undergoing a profound transformation; the contemporary arsenal of antimicrobials, particularly those with extended half-lives and enhanced tissue penetration, necessitates critically reassessing these traditional paradigms. The growing emphasis on antimicrobial stewardship programs has underscored the importance of optimizing antimicrobial agents to minimize the development and spread of resistance. Shorter treatment durations, when clinically appropriate, represent a key strategy in this endeavor. Methods: This narrative review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current evidence on the duration of antimicrobial therapy, with a particular focus on the clinical and pharmacological implications of novel agents, including long-acting formulations. Results: We critically examine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of these agents, evaluate the opportunities and limitations associated with treatment shortening strategies, and underscore the pivotal role of antimicrobial stewardship in optimizing therapeutic outcomes within an increasingly complex and evolving landscape. Conclusions: The future of antimicrobial therapy lies in a personalized approach, where treatment decisions are tailored to the individual patient, but detailed clinical trials are necessary to evaluate these approaches.
format Article
id doaj-art-0bc9a8ccdaf141b7a2ec80ef234d2b5b
institution DOAJ
issn 2079-6382
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Antibiotics
spelling doaj-art-0bc9a8ccdaf141b7a2ec80ef234d2b5b2025-08-20T03:13:42ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-07-0114772710.3390/antibiotics14070727The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New AgentsFrancesca Serapide0Salvatore Rotundo1Luca Gallelli2Caterina Palleria3Manuela Colosimo4Sara Palma Gullì5Gianmarco Marcianò6Alessandro Russo7Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University ‘Magna Graecia’ of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyInfectious and Tropical Disease Unit, “Renato Dulbecco” Hospital, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Health Science, University ‘Magna Graecia’ of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance Unit, “Renato Dulbecco” University Hospital Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyMicrobiology and Virology Unit, “Renato Dulbecco” University Hospital, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyInfectious and Tropical Disease Unit, “Renato Dulbecco” Hospital, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyClinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance Unit, “Renato Dulbecco” University Hospital Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University ‘Magna Graecia’ of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyBackground: The landscape of antimicrobial therapy is undergoing a profound transformation; the contemporary arsenal of antimicrobials, particularly those with extended half-lives and enhanced tissue penetration, necessitates critically reassessing these traditional paradigms. The growing emphasis on antimicrobial stewardship programs has underscored the importance of optimizing antimicrobial agents to minimize the development and spread of resistance. Shorter treatment durations, when clinically appropriate, represent a key strategy in this endeavor. Methods: This narrative review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current evidence on the duration of antimicrobial therapy, with a particular focus on the clinical and pharmacological implications of novel agents, including long-acting formulations. Results: We critically examine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of these agents, evaluate the opportunities and limitations associated with treatment shortening strategies, and underscore the pivotal role of antimicrobial stewardship in optimizing therapeutic outcomes within an increasingly complex and evolving landscape. Conclusions: The future of antimicrobial therapy lies in a personalized approach, where treatment decisions are tailored to the individual patient, but detailed clinical trials are necessary to evaluate these approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/7/727antibioticspharmacokineticpharmacodynamichalf-liferesistance
spellingShingle Francesca Serapide
Salvatore Rotundo
Luca Gallelli
Caterina Palleria
Manuela Colosimo
Sara Palma Gullì
Gianmarco Marcianò
Alessandro Russo
The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents
Antibiotics
antibiotics
pharmacokinetic
pharmacodynamic
half-life
resistance
title The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents
title_full The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents
title_fullStr The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents
title_full_unstemmed The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents
title_short The Changing Landscape of Antibiotic Treatment: Reevaluating Treatment Length in the Age of New Agents
title_sort changing landscape of antibiotic treatment reevaluating treatment length in the age of new agents
topic antibiotics
pharmacokinetic
pharmacodynamic
half-life
resistance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/7/727
work_keys_str_mv AT francescaserapide thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT salvatorerotundo thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT lucagallelli thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT caterinapalleria thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT manuelacolosimo thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT sarapalmagulli thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT gianmarcomarciano thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT alessandrorusso thechanginglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT francescaserapide changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT salvatorerotundo changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT lucagallelli changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT caterinapalleria changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT manuelacolosimo changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT sarapalmagulli changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT gianmarcomarciano changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents
AT alessandrorusso changinglandscapeofantibiotictreatmentreevaluatingtreatmentlengthintheageofnewagents