Fig 1.
Trial protocol. Severe disease = respiratory failure or clinical instability.
Fig 2.
Trial profile: screening, enrollment, randomization, and follow-up.
Table 1.
Characteristics of Patients Randomized to PCT (Procalcitonin) Group (3 or 10 Days of Antibiotics) or Standard Group (10 Days of Antibiotics) at Recruitment.
Table 2.
Blood Levels of PCT at Days 0, 1, and 2 by Randomization Arm.
Table 3.
Clinical Outcome Parameters at 6-Month Follow-up in Patients with ECOPD According to Treatment Plan.
Table 4.
Number of Exacerbations During the 6-Month Follow-up.
Fig 3.
Percentage of patients with at least one exacerbation during the 6 months of follow-up in the three groups: patients who received antibiotics for 3 days (PCT 3 days) or 10 days (PCT 10 days) according to a PCT-guided plan, or for 10 days according to the standard plan. P = not significant.
Table 5.
Adverse Events among Study Participants.