Post-procedure Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Cardiac Electrical Device Implantation: ABxFREE Study

Post-procedure Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Cardiac Electrical Device Implantation: ABxFREE Study

This study is a multi-center open-label randomized study, and we sought to investigate the redundancy of post-procedural prophylactic antibiotics in cardiac implantable electronic device implantation. There are 2 arms in this study. One arm will receive pre-procedural intravenous antibiotics only. The other arm will receive both pre-procedural intravenous antibiotics and post-procedural 3-day oral antibiotics.

There is general agreement on the benefits of preoperative prophylactic antibiotics which had been documented in previous studies. Concerns of bacterial resistance and unnecessary cost, our prospective observational case-control study had suggested the redundancy of post-procedural antibiotics. In this well-designed study, we sought to investigate the efficacy of post-procedural antibiotics and confirm the hypothesis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eligible for permanent pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation according to current guidelines

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hospitalization for more than 7 days
• End stage renal disease with hemodialysis or peritonealysis
• Patients receive cardiac resynchronization therapy, His-bundle pacemaker, leadless pacemaker, or sub-cutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator