Antibiotic Treatment of Severe Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Procalcitonin: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial

• Alessia Verduri,

  Affiliation Department of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Fabrizio Luppi,

  Affiliation Department of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Roberto D’Amico,

  Affiliation Statistics Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and Public Health, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Sara Balduzzi,

  Affiliation Statistics Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and Public Health, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Roberto Vicini,

  Affiliation Statistics Unit, Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and Public Health, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Anna Liverani,

  Affiliation Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

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• Valentina Ruggieri,

  Affiliation Department of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Mario Plebani,

  Affiliation Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy

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• Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro,

  Affiliation Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

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• Antonio Spanevello,

  Affiliation Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Fondazione S. Maugeri (Tradate), University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

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• Giorgio Walter Canonica,

  Affiliation Department of Respiratory & Allergic Diseases, University of Genova, Genova, Italy

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• Alberto Papi,

  Affiliation Department of Respiratory Diseases, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

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• Leonardo Michele Fabbri ,

  * E-mail: leonardo.fabbri@unimore.it

  Affiliation Department of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• Bianca Beghè,

  Affiliation Department of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

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• on behalf of the FARM58J2XH Study Group

  ¶Membership of the FARM58J2XH Study Group is provided in the Acknowledgments.

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