7 Days Noninferior in Bacteremia - Summary - MDSpire
From the Journals

7 Days Noninferior in Bacteremia

BALANCE compared 7 vs 14 days of treatment among hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections.

  • By

  • Kathryn Wighton

  • May 12, 2026

  • 5 min

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The BALANCE trial evaluated whether a 7-day antibiotic course for hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections is noninferior to a 14-day course in terms of 90-day mortality. Conducted across 74 hospitals encompassing 3,608 patients, the study found that 15% of patients in the 7-day group died compared to 16% in the 14-day group, meeting its noninferiority criterion. Key findings suggest that shorter courses could suffice, supporting antibiotic stewardship, particularly within critically ill populations. The trial was operational from October 2014 to May 2023.

Original Source(s)

7 Days Noninferior in Bacteremia

  • by Kathryn Wighton

  • May 12, 2026

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