Table 1 Key questions SWAB guideline for empirical antibacterial therapy of sepsis in adults

I Causative bacterial pathogens in sepsis

 1 Which bacteria are most frequently isolated from patients with sepsis in the Netherlands?

 2 What are the resistance patterns of the most frequently isolated bacteria in patients with sepsis in the Netherlands?

 3 Which patients are at risk for sepsis due to third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales (3GCR-E) or P. aeruginosa in the Netherlands?

II Empirical antibacterial therapy of sepsis

 4 What is the importance of appropriate empirical therapy in patients with sepsis?

 5 What is the effect of double active empirical antibacterial therapy compared to monotherapy in patients with sepsis?

 6 What is the optimal choice of empirical therapy in patients with sepsis in the Netherlands?

 7 What is the optimal empirical antibacterial therapy of sepsis in patients with a penicillin allergy?

III Timing and duration of antibacterial therapy in sepsis

 8 What is the optimal timing of empirical antibacterial therapy in patients with sepsis?

 9 What is the optimal duration of antibacterial treatment for sepsis?

IV Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic considerations in sepsis

 10 In patients with sepsis, should we recommend pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic dosing optimization for empirical antibacterial therapy?