Point prevalence of antibiotic use: a systematic review (2021-2023)

Abstract

Point prevalence surveys (PPSs) provide valuable insights into several aspects of hospital prescription trends, specifically regarding antibiotic usage. Hence, this review was conducted to investigate the point prevalence of antibiotic use. This was an updated systematic review of the previous two years addressing studies conducted between the years 2021 and 2023 regarding the point prevalence of antibiotic use. Studies regarding the current topic were examined using the PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. The terms were employed in different combinations including the \"Point prevalence, survey, antibiotics use, antimicrobial prescribing, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship; surveillance, hospital, private sector, global health security\". Publications in full text were used as the inclusion criterion. Out of the 85 acquired articles, only nine were deemed suitable for inclusion. The analysis encompassed more than 10,331 hospitalized patients in different regions. This systematic review demonstrated a high point prevalence of antibiotic use in hospitals. The most prevalent clinical indications were pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, sepsis, and community-acquired infections. Ceftriaxones were the predominant antibiotics provided to patients. These hospitals have a high incidence of use of antibiotics, but they lack institutional frameworks and protocols to ensure optimal antibiotic use. The study furnishes the requisite data for enhancing forthcoming antibiotic utilization in hospitals and mitigating antimicrobial resistance. These findings emphasize the importance of ongoing efforts to improve the responsible use of antibiotics by implementing effective antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals, ultimately leading to decreased antimicrobial resistance in the country.