Antibiotic Prescribing In Patients Research Articles

The effect of focused lung ultrasonography on antibiotic prescribing in patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections in Danish general practice: study protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (PLUS-FLUS)

BackgroundThe use of antibiotics is a key driver of antimicrobial resistance and is considered a major threat to global health. In Denmark, approximately 75% of antibiotic prescriptions are issued in general practice, with acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) being one of the most common indications. Adults who present to general practice with symptoms of acute LRTI often suffer from self-limiting viral infections. However, some patients have bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), a potential life-threatening infection, that requires immediate antibiotic treatment. Importantly, no single symptom or specific point-of-care test can be used to discriminate the various diagnoses, and diagnostic uncertainty often leads to (over)use of antibiotics. At present, general practitioners (GPs) lack tools to better identify those patients who will benefit from antibiotic treatment. The primary aim of the PLUS-FLUS trial is to determine whether adults who present with symptoms of an acute LRTI in general practice and who have FLUS performed in addition to usual care are treated less frequently with antibiotics than those who only receive usual care.MethodsAdults (≥ 18 years) presenting to general practice with acute cough (< 21 days) and at least one other symptom of acute LRTI, where the GP suspects a bacterial CAP, will be invited to participate in this pragmatic randomized controlled trial. All participants will receive usual care. Subsequently, participants will be randomized to either the control group (usual care) or to an additional focused lung ultrasonography performed by the GP (+ FLUS). The primary outcome is the proportion of participants with antibiotics prescribed at the index consultation (day 0). Secondary outcomes include comparisons of the clinical course for participants in groups.DiscussionWe will examine whether adults who present with symptoms of acute LRTI in general practice, who have FLUS performed in addition to usual care, have antibiotics prescribed less frequently than those given usual care alone. It is highly important that a possible reduction in antibiotic prescriptions does not compromise patients’ recovery or clinical course, which we will assess closely.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06210282. Registered on January 17, 2024.

Community antibiotic prescribing in patients with COVID-19 across three pandemic waves: a population-based study in Scotland, UK

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine community antibiotic prescribing across a complete geographical area for people with a positive COVID-19 test across three pandemic waves, and to examine health and demographic...

Within-episode repeat antibiotic prescriptions in patients with respiratory tract infections: A population-based cohort study

Antimicrobial stewardship interventions mainly focus on initial antibiotic prescriptions, with few considering within-episode repeat prescriptions. We aimed to describe the magnitude, type and determinants of within-episode repeat antibiotic prescriptions in patients presenting to primary care with respiratory tract infections (RTIs). We conducted a population-based cohort study among 530 sampled English general practices within the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). All individuals with a primary care RTI consultation for which an antibiotic was prescribed between March 2018 and February 2022. Main outcome measurement was repeat antibiotic prescriptions within 28 days of a RTI visit stratified by age (children vs. adults) and RTI type (lower vs. upper RTI). Multivariable logistic regression and principal components analyses were used to identify risk factors and patient clusters at risk for within-episode repeat prescriptions. 905,964 RTI episodes with at least one antibiotic prescription were identified. In adults, 19.9% (95% CI 19.3-20.5%) had at least one within-episode repeat prescription for a lower RTI, compared to 10.5% (95% CI 10.3-10.8%) for an upper RTI. In children, this was around 10% irrespective of RTI type. The majority of repeat prescriptions occurred a median of 10 days after the initial prescription and was the same antibiotic class in 48.3% of cases. Frequent RTI related GP visits and prior within-RTI-episode repeat antibiotic prescriptions were main factors associated with repeat prescriptions in both adults and children irrespective of RTI type. Young (<2 years) and older (65+) age were associated with repeat prescriptions. Among those aged 2-64 years, allergic rhinitis, COPD and oral corticosteroids were associated with repeat prescriptions. Repeat within-episode antibiotic use accounts for a significant proportion of all antibiotics prescribed for RTIs, with same class antibiotics unlikely to confer clinical benefit and is therefore a prime target for future antimicrobial stewardship interventions.

The effect of preoperative oral hygiene on postoperative infections after cystectomy and urethroplasty—A quasi‐experimental study

AbstractResearch has demonstrated that systematic preoperative oral hygiene reduces nosocomial infections after elective thoracic surgery. However, the impact of preoperative oral hygiene on patients undergoing urologic procedures is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of systematic preoperative oral hygiene on prescriptions with antibiotics following cystectomy or urethroplasty. A quasi‐experimental study design included all patients undergoing elective radical cystectomy or urethroplasty from 1 January 2018 to 31 May 2021. Patients undergoing cystectomy or urethroplasty were grouped into a prospective intervention group and a retrospective control group. Patients in the intervention group were admitted from 1 January 2020 to 31 May 2021, and were recommended to brush their teeth and rinse their mouths with chlorhexidine gluconate 0.12% four times a day starting 2 days before surgery and continuing until the morning of the operation. Patients admitted from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019 received no oral hygiene recommendations and were used as a retrospective control group. Data on oral hygiene performance were self‐reported and collected at admission and data on prescription of antibiotics were collected through the patients' records. The relative risk was calculated to report the effect of the intervention. In total, 39 patients with cystectomy were in the intervention group, whereas 31 were in the control group. For patients having urethroplasty, 27 were in the intervention group and 98 were in the control group. The effect of oral hygiene on the prescription of antibiotics for patients who completely adhered to the oral hygiene recommendations showed a relative risk of 0.554 (95% CI 0.333–0.921) p = 0.02 for cystectomy and 0.825 (95% 0.308–2.209) p = 0.70 for urethroplasty. This study showed a statistically significant reduction in the prescription of antibiotics following oral hygiene recommendations for patients undergoing cystectomy. However, no statistically significant effect was demonstrated for patients undergoing urethroplasty. Despite this result, it seems important to be aware of oral hygiene in patients undergoing surgery to potentially reduce the number of infections and the use of antibiotics because of the antimicrobial resistance that the healthcare system faces.

Assessment of Bacterial Co-Infection and Antibiotic Prescribing in Patients with COVID-19

Assessment of Bacterial Co-Infection and Antibiotic Prescribing in Patients with COVID-19

The Behavior of Primary Healthcare Doctors Toward Antibiotic Prescriptions for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections.

Unnecessary prescription of antibiotics for patients with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) carries the potential risk to the development of bacterial resistance. This study aimed to investigate the behavior of primary healthcare (PHC) physicians toward an antibiotic prescription for URTI, Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia in 2021. A cross-sectional study was conducted at PHC centers in Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. The study invited all physicians in the randomly selected 28 PHC centers to participate in the study. A master sheet adopted from a researcher done in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia about the pattern of prescription for URTIwas used and included data about socio-demographic characteristics and data about presenting symptoms and signs of URTIs, the clinical diagnosis, type of medication prescribed, and duration of treatment also, included data about the factors that press physicians to prescribe antibiotics and their response. The questionnairewas filled out and returned back by 140 physicians. The collected data were analyzed and tabulated using appropriate statistical tests. The mean age of the studied physicians was 34.4 ± 7.6 years (25-59 years). General practitioners and specialists were 66.4% and 33.6%, respectively. The prevalence of antibiotic prescriptions was 44.3%. The most prescribed antibiotics were amoxicillin (58.6%)and Augmentin(28.6%). Congested tonsils (87.1%), ear discharge (84.2%), and cervical lymphadenopathy (89.3%) were the most clinical factors that affected physicians' decisions to prescribe antibiotics for URTI. The non-clinical factors affecting physicians' decisions include patient request (52.8%) and press (28.5%), with no statistically significant difference detected between general practitioners and specialists. The study findings indicate the need to develop intervention programs targeting physicians as well as the general population to decrease inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions in primary care centers.

P02 Evaluating antibiotic prescribing in pancreatitis: a single-centre retrospective case series

Abstract Background Procalcitonin (PCT) has been shown to safely reduce antibiotic use in respiratory tract infections but there is little evidence for other potentially infected body systems. A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated the safety and efficacy of PCT in reducing antibiotic use in patients with pancreatitis. Objectives We aimed to review antibiotic prescribing in patients with pancreatitis and to estimate the potential impact of PCT on rates of antibiotic prescribing at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (RCHT). Methods Patient care episodes for pancreatitis between June 2022 and May 2023 were identified using pancreatitis ICD-10 codes. An audit tool was developed using the inclusion criteria used in the RCT. Electronic notes systems were used to collect the following: patient demographics, whether diagnostic criteria for pancreatitis were met, clinical specialty, pancreatitis severity, presence of necrosis, indications for antibiotics and course lengths. Results 121 patient care episodes were identified, of which 76 (63%) were analysed. Of these, 61 (80.3%) met the diagnostic criteria for pancreatitis and analysed; median age 57 (IQR 26), 28 (45.9%) female, 51 (83.6%) managed under surgeons and 10 (16.4%) under medicine. 15 (19.7%) patient episodes were excluded: 14 did not meet diagnostic criteria for pancreatitis and 1 on long term immunosuppression. 30 (49.2%) patients with a clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis were prescribed antibiotics; 5 (16.7%) for pancreatitis and 16 (53.3%) for extra-pancreatic indications: respiratory tract 3 (18.8%), cholecystitis 7 (43.8%), suspected cholangitis 1 (6.3%), other intra-abdominal infection 5 (31.3%). The indication for antibiotics was unclear in 9 episodes (30.0%). Of those prescribed antibiotics for pancreatitis, 4 (80%) were appropriately prescribed for suspected infected necrotic pancreatitis (patients with pancreatic or extra-pancreatic necrosis who deteriorate (physiologically or blood results) or fail to improve after 7-10 days), 1 (20%) was inappropriate. The overall rate of antibiotic prescribing in the PROCAP study were 31% in the PCT group and 47% in the usual care group (non-PCT); the rate of antibiotic prescribing in the usual care group was found to be comparable to our data (47.0% verses 49.2%). However, the majority of antibiotic prescriptions in our cohort were for extra-pancreatic infections, not pancreatitis. It is not possible to determine the proportion of antibiotics prescribed for pancreatitis in the PROCAP study and therefore we are unable to compare our findings. Conclusions Rates of antibiotic prescribing for patients at RCHT with pancreatitis are comparable to those in the PROCAP non-PCT guided treatment group which might suggest that adoption of PCT in our hospital could reduce antibiotic prescribing, as per the findings of the PROCAP study. Rates of antibiotic prescribing for pancreatitis at RCHT are low, with the majority of prescribing for extra-pancreatic indications, although the indication was unclear in approximately one third of episodes. The PROCAP study does not report rates of prescribing for pancreatitis which prevents estimating the impact of PCT on antimicrobial prescribing for pancreatitis at RCHT. Whether PCT has a role in reducing antimicrobial prescribing for patients with pancreatitis at RCHT is unclear.

Developing a model for decision-making around antibiotic prescribing for patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in acute NHS hospitals during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: qualitative results from the Procalcitonin Evaluation of Antibiotic use in COVID-19 Hospitalised patients (PEACH Study)

ObjectiveTo explore and model factors affecting antibiotic prescribing decision-making early in the pandemic.DesignSemistructured qualitative interview study.SettingNational Health Service (NHS) trusts/health boards in England and Wales.ParticipantsClinicians from NHS trusts/health boards in...

2844. Impact of Altered Mental Status on Antibiotic Prescribing in Patients with Pyuria

Abstract Background The Infectious Diseases Society of America’s guidelines for the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria state that altered mental status (AMS) is non-specific and alone should not be classified as a symptom of urinary tract infection (UTI). Careful observation, rather than treatment, is recommended to avoid adverse medication events and antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the burden of antibiotic overtreatment, patient outcomes, and risk factors for treatment of AMS patients with asymptomatic pyuria within a community teaching hospital. Methods This retrospective cohort study evaluated adult inpatients admitted with AMS and pyuria (10 WBC/hpf) between February 1, 2020 and October 1, 2021. The primary objective was to compare outcomes between patients with AMS treated for asymptomatic pyuria (AMS+Tx) vs. those without treatment (AMS-NoTx) using a composite endpoint of readmission for AMS or development of Clostridiodes difficile within 30-days, or development of new antibiotic resistance within 90 days. Secondary outcomes included characterizing the burden of overtreatment and identifying risk factors for treatment of pyuria in patients with AMS. Multi variate logistic regression identified risk factors independently associated with treatment of asymptomatic pyuria in patients with AMS. Patients were excluded who had noted urinary symptoms, admission to critical care, history of renal transplant, urological surgery, co-infection, pregnancy, or neutropenia. Results A total of 200 patients were included (AMS+Tx, n= 160; AMS-NoTx, n=40). No difference was observed between groups in the composite primary outcome (AMS+Tx 23.5% vs AMS-NoTx 18.1%, p=0.465). The burden of overtreatment was 80%. An alternative diagnosis of AMS occurred more frequently when antibiotics were withheld (AMS+Tx 65.6% vs.AMS-NoTx 87.5%, p=0.007). Urinalyses showing bacteria (OR 2.63; 95% CI 1.15-6.03) and positive urine culture (OR3.76; 95% CI 1.67-8.48) were associated with the use of antibiotics. Conclusion Patient-related outcomes were similar between groups highlighting the burden of antibiotic overtreatment and need for stewardship interventions in inpatients with AMS and pyuria presenting without other urinary symptoms. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

A Narrative Review of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in Primary Care Settings in South Africa and Potential Ways Forward to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance.

There are concerns with the current prescribing of antibiotics in both the private and public primary care settings in South Africa. These concerns need to be addressed going forward to reduce rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates in South Africa. Concerns include adherence to current prescribing guidelines. Consequently, there is a need to comprehensively summarise current antibiotic utilization patterns from published studies as well as potential activities to improve prescribing, including indicators and antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). Published studies showed that there was an appreciable prescribing of antibiotics for patients with acute respiratory infections, i.e., 52.9% to 78% or more across the sectors. However, this was not universal, with appreciable adherence to prescribing guidelines in community health centres. Encouragingly, the majority of antibiotics prescribed, albeit often inappropriately, were from the 'Access' group of antibiotics in the AWaRe (Access/Watch/Reserve) classification rather than 'Watch' antibiotics to limit AMR. Inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics in primary care is not helped by concerns with current knowledge regarding antibiotics, AMR and ASPs among prescribers and patients in primary care. This needs to be addressed going forward. However, studies have shown it is crucial for prescribers to use a language that patients understand when discussing key aspects to enhance appropriate antibiotic use. Recommended activities for the future include improved education for all groups as well as regularly monitoring prescribing against agreed-upon guidelines and indicators.

Implementation of a Protocol for Management of Febrile Neutropenia in the Emergency Department at Veteran Health Indiana.

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening oncologic emergency requiring timely evaluation and treatment. Unrecognized fever and infection can progress quickly and have been shown to increase morbidity and mortality in patients with malignancy. It is critical to identify patients with neutropenic fever on presentation to the emergency department (ED) and to initiate treatment immediately. This quality improvement initiative sought to optimize ED care of patients presenting with FN. Delays in antibiotic prescribing for patients with FN presenting to the ED were identified. A protocol was implemented to streamline clinical decision making and decrease the time from triage to the first dose of antibiotics in the ED. Key interventions included obtaining ED staff support, developing a standard empiric therapy protocol, increasing prescriber awareness of the neutropenic fever protocol and integrating it into the electronic health record. Before the protocol, the mean time from triage to the first dose of antibiotics was 3.3 hours with only 6% of patients receiving appropriate empiric therapy within 1 hour. Postimplementation, the average time to antibiotics decreased to 2.3 hours. In the postimplementation group, 17% of patients within 1 hour. Early identification and timely empiric antibiotic therapy are critical to improving outcomes for patients presenting to the ED with FN. Additional optimization of the order sets along with increased protocol comfort and staff education will help to further reduce the time to antibiotic administration in alignment with guideline recommendations.

Impact of antimicrobial stewardship interventions on peripartum antibiotic prescribing in patients with penicillin allergy

Beta-lactam antibiotics (eg, penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems) are preferred for group B streptococcus prophylaxis, intra-amniotic infection, and cesarean surgical site infection prophylaxis. Non-beta-lactam alternatives are associated with inferior efficacy and contribute to higher rates of surgical site infection and longer lengths of stay. Most patients who report a penicillin allergy can tolerate penicillins without any adverse reaction. There are low rates of cross-reactivity between penicillins and other beta-lactams, including cephalosporins and carbapenems. Efforts to evaluate penicillin allergy and promote the use of beta-lactams are needed. This study aimed to evaluate whether an antimicrobial stewardship intervention improved the use of first-line antibiotics for peripartum indications in patients with a reported penicillin allergy, following updates to institutional guidelines. This was a retrospective study of adult patients presenting for vaginal or cesarean delivery at 2 hospitals within a healthcare system. Patients received at least 1 dose of antibiotics for a peripartum indication between May 1, 2018, and October 31, 2018 (preintervention group) and May 1, 2020, to October 31, 2020 (postintervention group). The stewardship intervention bundle, which was implemented between March 2019 and April 2020, included updates to institutional antibiotic guidelines, reclassification of severe penicillin allergy, development of obstetrical prophylaxis and treatment order sets, promotion of allergy referral services, and establishment of a physician champion. The primary outcome was the composite rates of patients with reported penicillin allergy who received a preferred antibiotic for a peripartum indication. The secondary measures included maternal and neonatal outcomes. A total of 192 patients with a history of documented penicillin allergy were evaluated (96 patients in the preintervention group and 96 patients in the postintervention group). Hives were the most commonly reported index symptom in both groups (40/96 [41.7%] vs 39/96 [40.6%]; P=.883). After stewardship interventions, there was a significant increase in the rate of preferred antibiotic use (33/96 [34.3%] vs 81/96 [84.3%]; P<.001). The effect was the greatest in patients with nonsevere allergy (14/76 [18.4%] vs 68/82 [82.9%]; P<.001). There was no difference in the rates of postpartum endometritis, 30-day readmission, 90-day surgical site infection, or neonatal early-onset sepsis between the pre- and postintervention groups. Of note, 1 patient in the postintervention group experienced itching, and another patient developed a rash, both of which resolved with medical management. A comprehensive antibiotic stewardship intervention was associated with a 50% increase in the use of preferred antibiotics for peripartum indications in patients with penicillin allergy. Allergic reactions with first-line beta-lactams were minimal and manageable.

Pharmacist-Led Antimicrobial Stewardship and Antibiotic Use in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant increase in the use of empiric antibiotic therapy has been observed especially in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Improving antibiotic prescribing is one of the main goals of the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). The ASP pharmacists have a scope of practice that authorizes changes in anti-infective therapy. We aimed to describe antibiotic prescribing in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Veterans Affairs Southern Nevada Healthcare System with a pharmacist-led ASP and to determine the prevalence of bacterial coinfection in this patient population. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the facility from November 1, 2020, to January 31, 2021. A total of 199 patients were admitted to the hospital for laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection during the study period and 61 patients (31%) received ≥ 1 antibiotic on hospital admission and 138 (69%) did not receive antibiotics. Forty-seven patients (77%) had antibiotics discontinued by the ASP team within 72 hours of admission. Of the 199 admitted, 6 (3%) had microbiologically confirmed bacterial coinfection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common organism (3 sputum cultures) followed by Klebsiella oxytoca (2 sputum cultures). Sixteen patients (8%) developed a nosocomial infection during their hospital stay. Up to 31% of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection received empiric antibiotic treatment for concern of bacterial coinfection. Pharmacist-led ASP led to early discontinuation of antibiotics in many patients. A thorough clinical workup to determine the risk of bacterial coinfection in patients with COVID-19 is important before starting empiric antibiotic therapy. It is essential to continue promoting the ASP during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure responsible antibiotic use and prevent antimicrobial resistance.

Implementation of point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein concentrations to improve antibiotic targeting in respiratory illness in Vietnamese primary care: a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial

In previous trials, point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations safely reduced antibiotic use in non-severe acute respiratory infections in primary care. However, these trials were done in a research-oriented context with close support from research staff, which could have influenced prescribing practices. To better inform the potential for scaling up point-of-care testing of CRP in respiratory infections, we aimed to do a pragmatic trial of the intervention in a routine care setting. We did a pragmatic, cluster-randomised controlled trial at 48 commune health centres in Viet Nam between June 1, 2020, and May 12, 2021. Eligible centres served populations of more than 3000 people, handled 10-40 respiratory infections per week, had licensed prescribers on site, and maintained electronic patient databases. Centres were randomly allocated (1:1) to provide point-of-care CRP testing plus routine care or routine care only. Randomisation was stratified by district and by baseline prescription level (ie, the proportion of patients with suspected acute respiratory infections to whom antibiotics were prescribed in 2019). Eligible patients were aged 1-65 years and visiting the commune health centre for a suspected acute respiratory infection with at least one focal sign or symptom and symptoms lasting less than 7 days. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients prescribed an antibiotic at first attendance in the intention-to-treat population. The per-protocol analysis included only people who underwent CRP testing. Secondary safety outcomes included time to resolution of symptoms and frequency of hospitalisation. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03855215. 48 commune health centres were enrolled and randomly assigned, 24 to the intervention group (n=18 621 patients) and 24 to the control group (n=21 235). 17 345 (93·1%) patients in the intervention group were prescribed antibiotics, compared with 20 860 (98·2%) in the control group (adjusted relative risk 0·83 [95% CI 0·66-0·93]). Only 2606 (14%) of 18 621 patients in the intervention group underwent CRP testing and were included in the per-protocol analysis. When analyses were restricted to this population, larger reductions in prescribing were noted in the intervention group compared with the control group (adjusted relative risk 0·64 [95% CI 0·60-0·70]). Time to resolution of symptoms (hazard ratio 0·70 [95% CI 0·39-1·27]) and frequency of hospitalisation (nine in the intervention group vs 17 in the control group; adjusted relative risk 0·52 [95% CI 0·23-1·17]) did not differ between groups. Use of point-of-care CRP testing efficaciously reduced prescription of antibiotics in patients with non-severe acute respiratory infections in primary health care in Viet Nam without compromising patient recovery. The low uptake of CRP testing suggests that barriers to implementation and compliance need to be addressed before scale-up of the intervention. Australian Government, UK Government, and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics.

Use of point-of-care biomarkers to reduce antibiotic resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a major issue globally, with the highest prevalence of resistance in low-income settings. 1 Antimicrobial Resistance CollaboratorsGlobal burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. Lancet. 2022; 399: 629-655 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1845) Google Scholar Resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of a broad range of infections and is projected to be associated with an estimated 10 million deaths annually by 2050. 2 Strathdee SA Davies SC Marcelin JR Confronting antimicrobial resistance beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 US election. Lancet. 2020; 396: 1050-1053 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar The over-prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics in both hospitals and primary care has become a global threat, and reducing unnecessary antibiotic use is crucial to help to control resistance. 1 Antimicrobial Resistance CollaboratorsGlobal burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. Lancet. 2022; 399: 629-655 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1845) Google Scholar , 2 Strathdee SA Davies SC Marcelin JR Confronting antimicrobial resistance beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 US election. Lancet. 2020; 396: 1050-1053 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Google Scholar , 3 Nguyen NV Do NTT Vu DTV et al. Outpatient antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in Vietnamese primary care settings by the WHO AWaRe (Access, Watch and Reserve) classification: an analysis using routinely collected electronic prescription data. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022; 30100611 Google Scholar Implementation of point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein concentrations to improve antibiotic targeting in respiratory illness in Vietnamese primary care: a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trialUse of point-of-care CRP testing efficaciously reduced prescription of antibiotics in patients with non-severe acute respiratory infections in primary health care in Viet Nam without compromising patient recovery. The low uptake of CRP testing suggests that barriers to implementation and compliance need to be addressed before scale-up of the intervention. Full-Text PDF Open Access

Early Empiric Antibiotic Use in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To investigate temporal trends and outcomes associated with early antibiotic prescribing in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Retrospective propensity-matched cohort study using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) database. Sixty-six health systems throughout the United States that were contributing to the N3C database. Centers that had fewer than 500 admissions in their dataset were excluded. Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were included. Patients were defined to have early antibiotic use if they received at least 3 calendar days of intravenous antibiotics within the first 5 days of admission. None. Of 322,867 qualifying first hospitalizations, 43,089 patients received early empiric antibiotics. Antibiotic use declined across all centers in the data collection period, from March 2020 (23%) to June 2022 (9.6%). Average rates of early empiric antibiotic use (EEAU) also varied significantly between centers (deviance explained 7.33% vs 20.0%, p < 0.001). Antibiotic use decreased slightly by day 2 of hospitalization and was significantly reduced by day 5. Mechanical ventilation before day 2 (odds ratio [OR] 3.57; 95% CI, 3.42-3.72), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before day 2 (OR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.75-2.61), and early vasopressor use (OR 1.85; 95% CI, 1.78-1.93) but not region of residence was associated with EEAU. After propensity matching, EEAU was associated with an increased risk for in-hospital mortality (OR 1.27; 95% CI, 1.23-1.33), prolonged mechanical ventilation (OR 1.65; 95% CI, 1.50-1.82), late broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure (OR 3.24; 95% CI, 2.99-3.52), and late Clostridium difficile infection (OR 1.60; 95% CI, 1.37-1.87). Although treatment of COVID-19 patients with empiric antibiotics has declined during the pandemic, the frequency of use remains high. There is significant inter-center variation in antibiotic prescribing practices and evidence of potential harm. Our findings are hypothesis-generating and future work should prospectively compare outcomes and adverse events.

STOP Signs: A Population-based Interrupted Time Series Analysis of Antibiotic Duration for Complicated Intraabdominal Infection Before and After the Publication of a Landmark RCT.

To determine if the STOP-IT randomized controlled trial changed antibiotic prescribing in patients with Complicated Intraabdominal Infection (CIAI). CIAI is common and causes significant morbidity. In May 2015, the STOP-IT randomized controlled trial showed equivalent outcomes between four-day and clinically determined antibiotic duration. This was a population-based retrospective cohort study using interrupted time series methods. The STOP-IT publication date was the exposure. Median duration of inpatient antibiotic prescription was the outcome. All adult patients admitted to four hospitals in Calgary, Canada between July 2012 and December 2018 with CIAI who survived at least four days following source control were included. Analysis was stratified by infectious source as appendix or biliary tract (group A) versus other (group B). Among 4384 included patients, clinical and demographic attributes were similar before vs after publication. In Group A, median inpatient antibiotic duration was 3 days and unchanged from the beginning to the end of the study period [adjusted median difference -0.00 days, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.37 - 0.37 days]. In Group B, antibiotic duration was shorter at the end of the study period (7.87 vs 6.73 days; -1.14 days, CI-2.37 - 0.09 days), however there was no change in trend following publication (-0.03 days, CI -0.16 - 0.09). For appendiceal or biliary sources of CIAI, antibiotic duration was commensurate with the experimental arm of STOP-IT. For other sources, antibiotic duration was long and did not change in response to trial publication. Additional implementation science is needed to improve antibiotic stewardship.

MxA for differentiating viral and bacterial infections in adults: a prospective, exploratory study.

Inappropriate antibiotic prescription in patients with viral infections contributes to the surge of antibiotic resistance. Viral infections induce the expression of the antiviral protein MxA in monocytes, which is a promising biomarker to differentiate between viral and bacterial diseases. In this prospective, exploratory study, we aimed to determine the diagnostic value of monocyte MxA expression in adults with viral, bacterial or co-infections. We measured monocyte MxA expression using flow cytometry in a cohort of 61 adults with various viral, bacterial and co-infections including patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Monocyte MxA expression in virus-infected patients was significantly higher compared to bacterial infections (83.3 [66.8, 109.4] vs. 33.8 [29.3, 47.8] mean fluorescence intensity [MFI]; p < 0.0001) but not co-infections (53.1 [33.9, 88.9] MFI). At a threshold of 62.2 MFI, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) to differentiate between viral and bacterial infections was 0.9, with a sensitivity and specificity of 92.3% and 84.6%, respectively. Immunosuppressive therapy did not affect monocyte MxA expression in virus-infected patients. Our findings corroborate the diagnostic performance of MxA in differentiating viral and bacterial infections but also point to an important caveat of MxA in viral-bacterial co-infections. This study extends previous reports and indicates that MxA is also a useful biomarker in immunocompromised patients.

How Adalimumab Impacts Antibiotic Prescriptions in Patients Affected by Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A 1-Year Prospective Study and Retrospective Analysis.

We conducted a one-year prospective study involving the enrollment of 58 patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Through a retrospective analysis of data on the same patients, with reference to the year prior to the initiation of the anti-TNFα drug adalimumab, we aimed to show how the advent of this biologic therapy changes the number of days of antibiotic therapy, the number of flare-ups per year, and their duration in days, as well as the quality of life and perceived pain of patients.

A multimodal antimicrobial stewardship intervention to improve antibiotic prescribing in patients with COVID-19.

This study assessed outcomes prior to and after electronic medical record-based clinical decision support implementation combined with prospective audit in patients with COVID-19. This multimodal stewardship intervention was associated with a decrease in antibiotic exposure for patients with COVID-19 (44.4% vs 61.8%, p = 0.002) within the first 7 days of hospitalization.