Consumption Of Broad-spectrum Antibiotics Research Articles

Ten-year trends in antibiotic usage at a tertiary care hospital in Korea, 2004 to 2013

Background/AimsThis study was performed to evaluate trends in antibiotic usage at a tertiary care hospital in Korea.MethodsThis study collated antibiotic prescription data and total patient days for inpatients at a tertiary care hospital in Korea between 2004 and 2013. The consumption of each class of antibiotic was converted to defined daily dose (DDD)/1,000 patient-days. We defined 3rd generation cephalosporins, 4th generation cephalosporins, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors, and fluoroquinolones as broad-spectrum antibiotics; carbapenems, tigecycline, glycopeptides, oxazolidinone, and polymyxin were defined as antibiotics against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Other antibiotic classes were defined as nonbroad-spectrum antibiotics.ResultsMean antibiotic consumption was 920.69 DDD/1,000 patient-days. The proportions of broad-spectrum antibiotics, antibiotics against MDR pathogens, and nonbroad-spectrum antibiotics were 41.8% (384.48/920.69), 3.5% (32.24/920.69), and 54.7% (503.97/920.69), respectively. Consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics (coefficient for time 0.141; p = 0.049) and antibiotics against MDR pathogens (coefficient for time 0.185; p < 0.001) showed a significant increasing trend over the study period. Nonbroad-spectrum antibiotic consumption showed a significant decreasing trend over the study period (coefficient for time –2.601; p < 0.001).ConclusionsOver the 10-year period, a stepwise increase in the consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics and antibiotics against MDR pathogens was observed at a tertiary care hospital in Korea. Conversely, during the same period, non-broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption showed a significant decreasing trend.

Differences in the incidence of Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriae (CRE) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in a major teaching hospital and factors with possible impact

Background: In the last year we have observed an increase in CRE in hospitalized patients but not in VRE inspite of discontinuation of isolation measures. Studies have associated CRE colonization with the changes in the microbiota (like Clostridium butyricum), caused by antibiotics.Methods & Materials: Descriptive, retrospective.Tabled 1Results: Annual incidence of MDRO, first clinical sample >72 hours of admission, 1000 patient days.20132014201520162017CRE0.41 (CI 95% 0.316; 0.518)0,28 (CI 95% 0.207; 0.375)0.22 (CI 95% 0.156; 0.3)0.24 (CI 95% 0.17; 0.317)0.48(0.355; 0.634)VRE0.23 (CI 95% 0.16; 0.32),0.04 (CI 95% 0.017; 0.09)0.11 (CI 95% 0.06; 0.17),0.18 (CI 95% 0.12; 0.25,0.11(0.0538; 0.192). Open table in a new tab Tabled 1Factors20132014201520162017Hand hygiene compliance (%).62.8% (CI 95% 61.26; 64.4) (CI 95% 73; 75.26)72.4(CI 95% 71.07; 73.6)65.5(CI 95% 64.27; 66.77)64.8 (CI 95% 63.8; 65.7)74.1 (CI 95% 73; 75.26)Broad spectrum antibiotic consumption, days of therapy, 1000 patient days (vancomycin, carbapenem, tigecycline, piperacilintazobactam and linezolid).174,75 (95% CI 172.9; 176.6)175.68 (173.8; 177.5),190.23 (188.3; 192.1)187.14 (181.2; 192.9)193.16 (186.2; 200). Open table in a new tab In 2016 contact precautions were discontinued for VRE and remained por CRE. Hand hygiene increases significantly in 2017 P 0.000. The antibiotics combined increase significantly from 2014 to 2015 RR 1.08 (95% CI 1.07; 1.1). Conclusion: Comparing multidrug resistant organisms (MDRO) with gastrointestinal carriage, the rate of VRE remains stable and CRE continues to rise without an outbreak pattern. Antibiotic consumption is also on the rise. Despite the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs, the same increase in the incidence of the MDRO promotes its use. Perhaps the time has come to consider also new tools such as probiotics and fecal microbiota therapy, focusing on the microbiota to resist colonization by CRE.

Pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis: evaluation of a two-stage surgical strategy (debridement, negative pressure therapy and flap coverage) with prolonged antimicrobial therapy

BackgroundA two-stage surgical strategy (debridement-negative pressure therapy (NPT) and flap coverage) with prolonged antimicrobial therapy is usually proposed in pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis but has not been widely evaluated.MethodsAdult patients with pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis treated by a two-stage surgical strategy were included in a retrospective cohort study. Determinants of superinfection (i.e., additional microbiological findings at reconstruction) and treatment failure were assessed using binary logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier curve analysis.ResultsSixty-four pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis in 61 patients (age, 47 (IQR, 36–63)) were included. Osteomyelitis was mostly polymicrobial (73%), with a predominance of S. aureus (47%), Enterobacteriaceae spp. (44%) and anaerobes (44%). Flap coverage was performed after 7 (IQR, 5–10) weeks of NPT, with 43 (68%) positive bone samples among which 39 (91%) were superinfections, associated with a high ASA score (OR, 5.8; p = 0.022). An increased prevalence of coagulase negative staphylococci (p = 0.017) and Candida spp. (p = 0.003) was observed at time of flap coverage. An ESBL Enterobacteriaceae spp. was found in 5 (12%) patients, associated with fluoroquinolone consumption (OR, 32.4; p = 0.005). Treatment duration was as 20 (IQR, 14–27) weeks, including 11 (IQR, 8–15) after reconstruction. After a follow-up of 54 (IQR, 27–102) weeks, 15 (23%) failures were observed, associated with previous pressure ulcer (OR, 5.7; p = 0.025) and Actinomyces spp. infection (OR, 9.5; p = 0.027).ConclusionsPressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis is a difficult-to-treat clinical condition, generating an important consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The lack of correlation between outcome and the debridement-to-reconstruction interval argue for a short sequence to limit the total duration of treatment.

Changing Pattern of Antibiotics Usage Among Hospitalized Patients of a Tertiary Hospital in South Korea: 2004–2013

BackgroundThis study was performed to evaluate the changing pattern of antibiotics usage among hospitalized patients of tertiary hospital in South Korea.MethodsTotal antibiotics prescription record of hospitalized patients from 2004 to 2013 were collected at a tertiary university hospitals. The antibiotics is defined as class J01 from anatomical therapeutic chemical classification system (ATC). The consumption of each class of antibiotic was converted to defined daily dose (DDD)/1,000 patient-days by using ATC of World Health Organization.ResultsOver the 10-year study period, the annual consumption of systemic antibiotics ranged from 815.10 to 1047.96. The proportion of broad-spectrum antibiotics and non-broad-spectrum antibiotics use are as follows: 45.4% (417.55/920.69) vs.. 54.6% (503.15/920.69), respectively. A 16.9% of decrease in total antibiotics consumption was observed in 2013 compared with 2004 (1000.69 in 2004 vs.. 831.46 in 2013). The decrease rate of non-broad spectrum antibiotics usage was 39.3% during the study period (607.21 in 2004 vs. 368.88 in 2013). In contrast, a stepwise increase in consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics was observed (14.9% of increase; 393.48 in 2004 vs. 462.58 in 2013). Among broad-spectrum antibiotics, a significant decrease trend was observed for third-generation cephaloporins (P < 0.001). In contrast, a significant increase trend was observed for β-lactam/lactamase (P < 0.001). The monthly overall consumption trend of fluoroquinolones and glycopeptides remained stable (P = 0.061; P = 0.107, respectively). In addition, there were significant decrease trends for consumption of non-broad-spectrum antibiotics, including first generation cephalosporins (P = 0.019) and aminoglycosides (P = 0.004). However, the consumption of second generation cephalosporins, imidazole and penicillins showed a stable trend (P = 0.175; P = 320; P = 0.234, respectively).ConclusionA total antibiotics consumption showed significantly decrease trend from 2004 to 2013. In contrast, a stepwise increase in consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics was observed in the tertiary hospital in South Korea.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Pressure Ulcer-Related Pelvic Osteomyelitis: Evaluation of a Two-Stage Surgical Strategy (Debridement, Negative Pressure Therapy and Flap Coverage) with Prolonged Antimicrobial Therapy

Background A two-stage surgical strategy (debridement-negative pressure therapy (NPT) and flap coverage) with prolonged antimicrobial therapy is usually proposed in pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis but has not been widely evaluated.Methods Adult patients with pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis treated by a two-stage surgical strategy were included in a retrospective cohort study. Determinants of superinfection (i.e.,, additional microbiological findings at reconstruction) and treatment failure were assessed using binary logistic regression and Kaplan–Meier curve analysis.ResultsSixty-four pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis in 61 patients (age, 47 [IQR 36–63]) were included. Osteomyelitis was mostly plurimicrobial (73%), with a predominance of S. aureus (47%), Enterobacteriaceae (44%), and anaerobes (44%). Flap coverage was performed after 7 (IQR 5–10) weeks of NPT, with 43 (68%) positive bone samples among which 39 (91%) were superinfections, associated with a high ASA score (OR, 5.8; P = 0.022). An increased prevalence of coagulase negative Staphylococci (P = 0.017) and Candida (P = 0.003) was observed at time of flap coverage. An ESBL Enterobacteriaceae was found in one (12%) patients, associated with fluoroquinolone consumption (OR, 32.4; P = 0.005). Treatment duration was as 20 (IQR 14–27) weeks, including 11 (IQR 8–15) after reconstruction. After a follow-up of 54 (IQR 27–102) weeks, 15 (23%) failures were observed, associated with previous pressure ulcer (OR, 5.7; P = 0.025) and Actinomyces infection (OR, 9.5; P = 0.027).Conclusion Pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis is a difficult-to-treat clinical condition, generating an important consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Carbapenem should be reserved for ESBL at-risk patients only, including those with previous fluoroquinolone use. The uncorrelation between outcome and the debridement-to-reconstruction interval argue for a short sequence to limit the total duration of treatment.Disclosures T. Ferry, HERAEUS: Consultant, Speaker honorarium

Outpatient use of antibiotics in children in Slovenia

Background: Antibiotics are among the most common drugs prescribed in outpatient settings. It is estimated that up to 50 % are prescribed unnecessarily or inappropriately. To plan the actions for optimizing the use of antibiotics, we conducted a national antibiotic consumption study in children aged 0–18 years in the period between 2003 and 2015. Methods: In this national retrospective research we analyzed outpatient antibiotic consumption using ATC/DDD classification. The use of antibiotics was recorded in relation to the pattern of prescription, age, gender and health region. Results: The total consumption of antibiotics decreased by 35 % from 979 to 636 prescriptions per 1000 children/year (PTY) during the whole study period. Te use of all antibiotic classes decreased (except for quinolones and nitrofuran derivatives) by 12.5 %–81 %. In all those years we recorded the highest consumption in children aged 1 to 4 years (2184–1160 PTY). Amoxicillin was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in children aged 0 to 4 years, penicillin V among 5 to 14 years and co-amoxiclav among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. In health regions in the northeastern part of Slovenia much more antibiotics were prescribed than in other regions. In 2015, 65 % of prescriptions were prescribed by pediatricians and school medicine specialists, 16 % by physicians without specialization, 14 % by GPs/family doctors and 5 % by other specialists. Conclusions: Despite the decrease in outpatient antibiotic use in children and adolescents in Slovenia, the overall and especially broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption (amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, azithromycin and second/third generation cephalosporins) is still too high. It is necessary to strengthen activities to reduce prescribing, particularly for acute (upper) respiratory tract infections.

Ambulantna poraba antibiotikov pri otrocih v Sloveniji

Background: Antibiotics are among the most common drugs prescribed in outpatient settings. It is estimated that up to 50 % are prescribed unnecessarily or inappropriately. To plan the actions for optimizing the use of antibiotics, we conducted a national antibiotic consumption study in children aged 0–18 years in the period between 2003 and 2015.Methods: In this national retrospective research we analyzed outpatient antibiotic consumption using ATC/DDD classification. The use of antibiotics was recorded in relation to the pattern of prescription, age, gender and health region.Results: The total consumption of antibiotics decreased by 35 % from 979 to 636 prescriptions per 1000 children/year (PTY) during the whole study period. Te use of all antibiotic classes decreased (except for quinolones and nitrofuran derivatives) by 12.5 %–81 %. In all those years we recorded the highest consumption in children aged 1 to 4 years (2184–1160 PTY). Amoxicillin was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in children aged 0 to 4 years, penicillin V among 5 to 14 years and co-amoxiclav among adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. In health regions in the northeastern part of Slovenia much more antibiotics were prescribed than in other regions. In 2015, 65 % of prescriptions were prescribed by pediatricians and school medicine specialists, 16 % by physicians without specialization, 14 % by GPs/family doctors and 5 % by other specialists.Conclusions: Despite the decrease in outpatient antibiotic use in children and adolescents in Slovenia, the overall and especially broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption (amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, azithromycin and second/third generation cephalosporins) is still too high. It is necessary to strengthen activities to reduce prescribing, particularly for acute (upper) respiratory tract infections.

Surviving Sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit: The Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance and the Trauma Patient.

Sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU) presents a great challenge to any critical care clinician. Patients admitted to the ICU are especially vulnerable to sepsis due to the nature of the underlying pathology that warranted admission to the ICU and deranged physiological function coupled with invasive procedures. Nosocomial infections are common in patients admitted to the ICU, and with these infections come the burden of multidrug-resistant organisms. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now a global emergency that warrants the attention of every health-care professional. AMR has escalated to epic proportions and solutions to this problem are now a matter of "life and death." The ICU also represents the "breeding ground" of antibiotic-resistant organisms due to the high broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption. Many would argue that broad-spectrum antimicrobials are overprescribed in this patient population, but do all patients admitted to the ICU warrant such therapy? Is there evidence that narrower-spectrum antimicrobial agents can be employed in specific ICU populations coupled with surveillance strategies? The aims of this review are to focus on strategies with the aim of optimizing antimicrobial use within ICUs, and to highlight the importance of differentiating ICU populations with regard to the use of antimicrobial agents.

Antibiotic consumption in non-teaching Lebanese hospitals: A cross-sectional study.

The rising threat of antibiotic resistance is linked to patterns of antibiotic use in hospital settings where global efforts are undertaken to encourage reporting and benchmarking antibiotic consumption in an attempt to improve prescription regimens. In Lebanon, where data concerning the level of antibiotic consumption in hospitals is scarce, the aim of our paper is to track the intensity of antibiotic consumption in order to identify potential evidence of antibiotic misuse or abuse. The study is conducted in 2012 for a period of 12-month using data from pharmacy records in 27 non-teaching Lebanese hospitals according to the Anatomical, Therapeutic and chemical classification system and Defined Daily Dose (ATC/DDD) recommended by the World Health Organization and compiling data on ABC Calc software version 3.1. Results show that the average antibiotic consumption excluding pediatric cases is 72.56 Defined Daily Dose per 100 Bed-Days (DDD/100BD). Total broad spectrum antibiotic consumption is 12.14 DDD/100BD with no significant difference found between public and private hospitals (p>0.05 for all). The most commonly used antibiotics were Amoxycillin/Clavulanic acid, Ceftriaxone, Amoxycillin and Cefuroxime for parenteral use. Consumption of beta-lactams, Cephalosporins, Carbapenems, Monobactams and quinolones did not vary significantly by region, occupancy rate, number of beds including the number of intensive care unit beds. Our data findings provides baseline information on patterns of antibiotic consumption in Lebanon and the issue calls for concerted efforts to encourage data reporting on national basis and to correlate future findings with results of antibiotic susceptibility testing which can provide insights and tools needed to assess the public health consequences of antimicrobial misuse and to evaluate the impact of antibiotic resistance containment interventions.

Trends of Antibiotic Consumption in Korea According to National Reimbursement Data (2008–2012)

This study determined the trends in the quantities and patterns of nationwide antibiotic consumption in the Republic of Korea (ROK).This nationwide descriptive epidemiological study was conducted in the ROK between 2008 and 2012. The quantities and patterns of total systemic antibiotic prescriptions were analyzed using National Health Insurance claims data collected through the Health Insurance Review and Assessment service. Data concerning systemic antibiotics were collected using measurement units of the defined daily dose (DDD) per 1000 people per day according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification.Over the 5-year study period, the annual consumption of systemic antibiotics ranged from 21.68 to 23.12 DDD per 1000 people per day. Outpatient antibiotic use accounted for 80.9% of total consumption. A regression model with autoregressive errors showed significant increased consumption of major antibiotic subgroups, including 3rd-generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, and glycopeptides (P < 0.001). However, the antibiotic use of 1st- (P = 0.003), 2nd- (P = 0.004), and 3rd-generation (P = 0.018) cephalosporins among patients who underwent surgery under monitoring by the antimicrobial stewardship programs for perioperative prescription was significantly lower than in those who underwent surgery without monitoring programs. In time-series analysis, total antibiotic consumption demonstrated significant seasonality (P < 0.001).The consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics was noted to have increased in the ROK from 2008 to 2012, providing a possible explanation for the changing epidemiology of multidrug resistance. Larger prospective studies are needed to investigate the impact on public health of monitoring programs of perioperative antibiotic usage.

Effects of various antimicrobial stewardship programs on antimicrobial usage and resistance among common gram-negative bacilli causing health care-associated infections: A multicenter comparison.

The effects of various antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) on both antibiotic consumption and resistance among different hospitals within the same insurance system have rarely been investigated. This 6-year retrospective study included three medical centers with similar facilities and infection control measures in Taiwan. These hospitals used different types of ASPs: one had a hospital-wide preauthorization requirement by infectious diseases physicians for all broad-spectrum antibiotics, covering all intensive care units; the second used the same program, but excluded all intensive care units; and the third used postprescription review only. The nonsusceptibility of unduplicated isolates of gram-negative bacilli causing health care-associated infections and consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics were analyzed. Overall, the usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics of all classes escalated significantly over time in all three hospitals, but consumption was lowest under the hospital-wide preauthorization program. Under this ASP, despite a 2-fold increase in the total broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption during study period, some declining trends of resistance were found, including ciprofloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. By contrast, the other two hospitals with preauthorization program excluding all intensive care units and postprescription review had similar high broad-spectrum antibiotic consumption, comparable growing trends of resistant strains in general, and the correlations of antibiotic consumption and resistance were basically positive. Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii increased significantly over time in all three hospitals. This interhospital comparison suggested that hospital-wide preauthorization program is the most effective to reduce key gram-negative bacilli resistance, with the exception of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii.

Containment of Clostridium difficile infection without reduction in antimicrobial use in Hong Kong.

Clostridium difficile ribotype 002 with hypersporulating capacity has been increasingly identified in Hong Kong. Proactive infection control measures are important to prevent the establishment of endemicity of C. difficile ribotype 002. A total of 329 patients with healthcare-associated C. difficile infection (CDI) were recruited in our healthcare network between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2012 in this study. The incidence rates of healthcare-associated CDI per 10,000 admissions and 10,000 patient-days increased significantly by 15.3 and 17.0%, respectively, per quarter (p < 0.001) from 2008 1Q to 2010 1Q by segmented Poisson regression. With the full implementation of enhanced infection control interventions, there was an immediate significant reduction in both healthcare-associated CDI rates per 10,000 admissions and per 10,000 patient-days by 47% (p < 0.001) in 2010 2Q, followed by a further decline of CDI per 10,000 admissions and CDI per 10,000 patient-days by -19.4 and -19.8% from 2010 2Q to 2012 2Q, respectively (p < 0.001), despite a replacement of hand washing with soap and water by alcohol-based hand rub in the healthcare network. The proportion of C. difficile ribotype 002 was not statistically different (34/177, 19.2% vs. 25/152, 16.4%, p = 0.515), and the consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics presented as divided daily dose per 1,000 acute bed-day occupancy per quarter remained unchanged (140.9 vs. 152.3) before and after infection control interventions. Our results suggested that the reduction of healthcare-associated CDI was attributable to infection control interventions instead of replacement of ribotypes or reduction in antimicrobial selective pressure.

Antibiotic Stewardship-Visiten: Zeitverschwendung oder Qualitätssteigerung?

One of the core strategies to optimize antiinfective therapy is to review antibiotic prescriptions. Therefore, Antibiotic Stewardship (ABS) team members either attend ward rounds or perform a chart review to provide feedback to and discuss with the attending physician. Acceptance and effectiveness of both options are discussed in this article. Attending physicians were asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating ABS activities. The modality of the reviewing process and its effectiveness, as well as the feasibility of recommendations was assessed. As the degree of implementation of ABS recommendations decreased on a trauma ward, the reviewing process was changed from chart review to attending the daily ward rounds. In this setting, the duration of the reviewing process and the consumption of antiinfectives in recommended daily doses/100 patient days (RDD/100PT) were assessed, comparing the two intervention modalities. Attending physicians predominantly appreciated the modality and extent of ABS currently offered to them by the ABS team, rating it relevant and effective. Implementation of ABS recommendations was increased on the trauma ward by academic detailing during the daily ward round; the consumption of broad spectrum antibiotics was reduced. ABS team members with formal authority and dedicated time for antibiotic stewardship activities effectively optimize antiinfective therapies by reviewing antibiotic prescriptions. The interaction of ABS experts and attending physicians contributes fundamentally to the effectiveness and degree of implementation of ABS interventions.

Minimal intervention for controlling nosocomial transmission of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in resource limited setting with high endemicity.

ObjectiveTo control nosocomial transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in resource-limited healthcare setting with high endemicity.MethodsThree phases of infection control interventions were implemented in a University-affiliated hospital between 1-January-2004 and 31-December-2012. The first phase of baseline period, defined as the first 48-months of the study period, when all MRSA patients were managed with standard precautions, followed by a second phase of 24-months, when a hospital-wide hand hygiene campaign was launched. In the third phase of 36-months, contact precautions in open cubicle, use of dedicated medical items, and 2% chlorhexidine gluconate daily bathing for MRSA-positive patients were implemented while hand hygiene campaign was continued. The changes in the incidence rates of hospital-acquired MRSA-per-1000-patient admissions, per-1000-patient-days, and per-1000-MRSA-positive-days were analyzed using segmented Poisson regression (an interrupted time series model). Usage density of broad-spectrum antibiotics was monitored.ResultsDuring the study period, 4256 MRSA-positive patients were newly diagnosed, of which 1589 (37.3%) were hospital-acquired. The reduction of hospital-acquired MRSA per 1000-patient admissions, per 1000-patient-days, and per 1000-MRSA-positive-days from phase 1 to 2 was 36.3% (p<0.001), 30.4% (p<0.001), and 19.6% (p = 0.040), while the reduction of hospital-acquired MRSA per 1000-patient admissions, per 1000-patient-days, and per 1000-MRSA-positive-days from phase 2 to 3 was 27.4% (p<0.001), 24.1% (p<0.001), and 21.9% (p = 0.041) respectively. This reduction is sustained despite that the usage density of broad-spectrum antibiotics has increased from 132.02 (phase 1) to 168.99 per 1000 patient-days (phase 3).ConclusionsNosocomial transmission of MRSA can be reduced with hand hygiene campaign, contact precautions in open cubicle, and 2% chlorhexidine gluconate daily bathing for MRSA-positive despite an increasing consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Toward Improved Surveillance: The Impact of Ventilator-Associated Complications on Length of Stay and Antibiotic Use in Patients in Intensive Care Units

Hospitals and quality improvement agencies are vigorously focusing on reducing rates of hospital-acquired infection. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is notoriously difficult to diagnose and surveillance is thwarted by the subjectivity of many components of the surveillance definition. Alternative surveillance strategies are needed. Ventilator-associated complications (VAC) is a simple, objective measure of respiratory deterioration. VAC is defined by increases in fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO(2)) by ≥ 15% or positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) by ≥ 2.5 cm H(2)O lasting ≥ 2 days after stable or decreasing FiO(2) or PEEP lasting ≥ 2 days. We retrospectively assessed patients on mechanical ventilation for ≥ 48 hours in our study intensive care unit (ICU) using electronic medical record data. We analyzed the association between VAC and clinical diagnoses, ICU length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, antibiotic use, and mortality. We assessed 153 patients with VAC and 390 without VAC. VAC events were associated with significantly increased ICU length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics but not with longer hospital stays or ICU mortality. Surveillance for VAP is subjective and labor intensive. VAC is an objective measure which can be readily obtained from electronic records. It is associated with adverse outcomes and increased broad-spectrum antibiotic usage. VAC may be a useful surveillance tool. The utility of VAC prevention bundles merits assessment.

The emergence of Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 027 in Denmark – a possible link with the increased consumption of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins?

Increasing rates of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) with an unusual, severe course have been reported in several countries; this rise has partly been ascribed to the emergence of a virulent strain, C. difficile PCR ribotype 027 (CD027). An intriguing question is whether this could be related to increasing consumption of broadspectrum antibiotics. From 1997 to 2007, the number of hospital discharges in Denmark with the diagnosis enterocolitis caused by C. difficile increased from eight to 23 per 100,000 hospital discharges. This increase was proportional to a concomitant rise in the consumption of fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins. The first outbreak of CD027 in Denmark occurred from October 2006 to August 2007 and included 13 patients, most of them elderly, admitted to three hospitals in the same region. Most of the patients had overlapping periods of admission. All patients had been treated with broadspectrum antibiotics, in particular cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, prior to positive culture of CD027. 30 days after confirmation of diagnosis, three of the 13 patients had died. Taken together, the data support the hypothesis that the increasing use of certain broadspectrum antibiotics may be related to a possible increase of C. difficile infection, and show that the specific contribution by CD027 in its emergence needs to be determined.

Electronic antibiotic stewardship--reduced consumption of broad-spectrum antibiotics using a computerized antimicrobial approval system in a hospital setting

Antibiotic stewardship is important, but the ideal strategy for providing stewardship in a hospital setting is unknown. A practical, sustainable and transferable strategy is needed. This study evaluates the impact of a novel computerized antimicrobial approval system on antibiotic-prescribing behaviour in a hospital. Effects on drug consumption, antibiotic resistance patterns of local bacteria and patient outcomes were monitored. The study was conducted at a tertiary referral teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. The system was deployed in January 2005 and guided the use of 28 restricted antimicrobials. Data were collected over 7 years: 5 years before and 2 years after deployment. Uptake of the system was evaluated using an in-built audit trail. Drug utilization was prospectively monitored using pharmacy data (as defined daily doses per 1000 bed-days) and analysed via time-series analysis with segmental linear regression. Antibiograms of local bacteria were prospectively evaluated. In-hospital mortality and length of stay for patients with Gram-negative bacteraemia were also reported. Between 250 and 300 approvals were registered per month during 2006. The gradients in the use of third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins (+0.52, -0.05, -0.39; P < 0.01), glycopeptides (+0.27, -0.53; P = 0.09), carbapenems (+0.12, -0.24; P = 0.21), aminoglycosides (+0.15, -0.27; P < 0.01) and quinolones (+0.76, +0.11; P = 0.08) all fell after deployment, while extended-spectrum penicillin use increased. Trends in increased susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus to methicillin and improved susceptibility of Pseudomonas spp. to many antibiotics were observed. No increase in adverse outcomes for patients with Gram-negative bacteraemia was observed. The system was successfully adopted and significant changes in antimicrobial usage were demonstrated.