Results and discussion
UTI
The MBS AST POCT is a device with a simple operating protocol that can be used by healthcare staff at the patient’s bedside, and has been developed with the aim to provide fast and reliable information concerning the effectiveness of first-line antibiotics, thus helping clinicians choose the best treatment.Standard AST provides results in at least 48 hours, and, for this reason, antibiotic therapy following UTI diagnosis is usually started on empirical basis, possibly leading to incorrect treatment and ultimately participating in the rise in bacterial antibiotic resistance. In order to improve treatment, providing a more rational and effective antibiotic administration, a reduction in analytical time is desirable, allowing medical staff to base therapy on evidence-based information. This would prevent from either exploiting new and expensive antibiotics unnecessarily or using ineffective ones and lead to more effective treatment and faster resolution.In this work, the accuracy of antimicrobial susceptibility assessment using the MBS AST POCT was investigated. Two different clinical settings were taken into account, both a first-aid and an outpatient clinical framework, reflecting two very different patient pools.