2025. Evaluation of the Impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Italy: Efficacy of a Persuasive Approach on Antibiotics Consumption and Rate of Clostridium difficile Infection

Abstract

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation in Italian hospitals and regions represents a major public health threat [ECDC, 2017]. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), particularly when based on local epidemiology, have been beneficial in optimizing antibiotic therapy as well as reducing hospital rates of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) and AMR [Akpan MR, Antibiotics 2016]..MethodsOur ASP program has been conducted at Spedali Civili General Hospital of Brescia, Northern Italy (1300-bed tertiary hospital), between the beginning of 2016 and the end of 2017. A preliminary analysis of local epidemiological data was performed (Table 1). Seven groups (“districts”) were identified according to microbiological and clinical similarities. This was a persuasive-based ASP. First, we trained physicians on general principles of AS, then guidelines for the management of “difficult-to-handle” infections were drafted based on international guidelines and local microbiological data (Table 2)..ResultsHere we show the results of pre-ASP (2015) vs. post-ASP (2018) analysis on antibiotic consumption (AC) and CDI rates. AC is expressed in DDD/100 bed-days. The overall hospital AC decreased from 84.31 to 76.84 (−9%), consistently with national recommendations [Italian National Plan against AMR, 2017]. In accordance with the local guidelines developed within our ASP, carbapenem consumption decreased from 5.77 to 4.87 (−16%) and fluoroquinolones (FLQ) from 14.45 to 9.94 (−31%). At the same time piperacillin/tazobactam use increased from 5.53 to 8.46 (53%). 3°–4°G cephalosporins and glycopeptides consumption slightly reduced from 11.78 to 11.42 (−3%) and from 4.07 to 3.83 (−6%), respectively. AC of the different districts involved is reported in Table 3. CDI rates decreased from 0.0434/100 bed-days in 2015 to 0.0315/100 bed-days in 2018 (−27%) (Figure 1).ConclusionOur ASP was a persuasive-based program in a setting of high AMR rates. In the short term, it has shown a positive impact in improving AC (in particular of broad-spectrum antibiotics with a high risk of resistance selection and CDI) and CDI rates. Audits for local guidelines adherence and the evaluation of AC, AMR and CDI rates are ongoing as long-term quality measures for assessing the impact of our ASP. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.