The role of antibiotic prophylaxis in routine endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography investigations as assessed prospectively in a nationwide study cohort

AbstractObjective. Risk factors for complications after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with emphasis on the potential advantage of the use of prophylactic antibiotics were studied in a national population-based study cohort. Materials and methods. All ERCP procedures registered in the Swedish Registry of Gallstone Surgery and ERCP (GallRiks) between May 2005 and June 2013 were analyzed. Patients with ongoing antibiotic treatment, incomplete registration or those who had not undergone an index ERCP were excluded. Risk factors for adverse events were analyzed. Results. Data from 47,950 ERCPs were collected, but after applying the exclusion criteria, 31,188 examinations were analyzed. In the group receiving prophylactic antibiotics, the postoperative adverse event rate was 11.6% compared with 14.2% in the group without antibiotics. The odds ratio (OR) for the risk of postoperative adverse events in patients receiving prophylactic antibiotics was 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69...