Discontinuation of antibiotic therapy within 24 hours of treatment initiation for patients with no clinical evidence of bacterial infection: a 5-year safety and outcome study from Singapore General Hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

Abstract

BackgroundOverprescribing antibiotics for patients with no bacterial infection is of growing global concern. It is important for timely Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) intervention to discontinue antibiotics for patients whose symptoms can be explained by non-infective causes, and without availability of bacterial cultures and susceptibilities reports. This study aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes and safety of early ASP review in these patients. MethodsA retrospective review of the ASP database (January 2010 to December 2014) was conducted to identify patients for whom ASP recommended discontinuation of empiric antibiotics within 24 hours of prescribing. Demographics were collected. Clinical outcomes – duration of therapy, length of hospital stay (LOS), infection-related readmissions, and all-cause mortality – were compared between interventions accepted and rejected groups. Continuous data were analysed via unpaired Student's t-test. Categorical data were analysed using χ2 test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. ResultsThe ASP team recommended 794 interventions (overall acceptance rate of 72.9%, 579 of 794). There were no significant between-group differences in underlying demographics, and Charlson comorbidity index score. However, the interventions acceptance group had significantly shorter duration of therapy by 2.61 days (2.72 ± 3.04 vs. 5.33 ± 2.54 days; P < 0.01) and LOS by 7.41 days (7.98 ± 13.14 vs. 15.39 ± 22.62 days; P < 0.01), with estimated cost savings of SGD10 817 per patient. There were no significant between-group differences in 14-day mortality and readmission rates. ConclusionPrompt ASP interventions at Singapore General Hospital were associated with significant reductions in duration of therapy and LOS, with cost savings. It was demonstrated that it is safe to discontinue antibiotics within 24 hours of prescribing for patients with no evidence of bacterial infections.