Trends in Antibiotic Use for Kidney Stone Patients Discharged from United States Emergency Departments

Antibiotics are commonly given to kidney stone patients, even in the absence of infection, and many patients with concurrent infection are discharged from the ED, rather than urgently drained or admitted for observation. These data suggest that antibiotics are frequently overused in the care of kidney stone patients in the ED, and the COVID-19 pandemic may have set back national efforts in antibiotic stewardship.