Antibiotic prescription practices, consumption and bacterial resistance in a cross section of Swedish intensive care units

Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Infections in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Western Saudi Arabia

Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections (MDRIs) constitute a major global threat due to increased patient morbidity/mortality and hospital stay/healthcare costs. A few studies from KSA, including our locality, addressed antimicrobial resistance in pediatric patients. This study was performed to recognize the incidence and clinical/microbiologic features of MDRIs in hospitalized pediatric patients. A retrospective cross-sectional study included pediatric patients < 18 years, admitted to King Abdulaziz University Hospital, between October 2021 and November 2022, with confirmed positive cultures of bacteria isolated from blood/body fluids. Patients' medical files provided the required data. MDR organisms (MDROs) were identified in 12.8% of the total cultures. The incidence of MDRIs was relatively high, as it was detected in 42% of patients and in 54.3% of positive bacterial cultures especially among critically ill patients admitted to the NICU and PICU. Pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia was the main type of infection in 37.8% of patients with MDROs. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common significantly isolated MDRO in 39.5% of MDR cultures. Interestingly, a low weight for (no need for their as terminology weight for age is standard and well-known) was the only significant risk factor associated with MDROs (p = 0.02). Mortality was significantly higher (p = 0.001) in patients with MDROs (32.4%) than in patients without MDROs (3.9%). Patients who died including 85.7% of patients with MDROs had significantly longer durations of admission, more cultures, and utilized a larger number of antibiotics than the surviving patients (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, p = 0.04, respectively). This study provided a comprehensive update on the seriously alarming problem of MDROs, and its impacts on pediatric patients. The detected findings are crucial and are a helpful guide to decid for implementing effective strategies to mitigate MDROs.

Antibiotic utilization, sensitivity, and cost in the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Nepal

Background:

High utilization and irrational use of antibiotics in an intensive care unit increases microbial resistance, morbidity, mortality, and costs.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the utilization, sensitivity and cost analysis of antibiotics used in the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care teaching hospital of Nepal.

Methods:

A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit at a tertiary care teaching hospital in central Nepal from July to September 2016. Antibiotic utilization, defined daily dose per 100 bed-days and the cost of antibiotics per patient were calculated. Descriptive statistics were performed using IBM-SPSS 20.0.

Results:

A total of 365 antibiotics were prescribed in 157 patients during the study period, with an average of 2.34 prescriptions per patient. Total antibiotic utilization in terms of defined daily dose per 100 bed-days was 49.5. Piperacillin/tazobactam (45.2%) was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic, and meropenem was the most expensive antibiotics (US$4440.70). The median (interquartile range) cost of antibiotics used per patient was US$47.67 (US$63.73). Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas sp. were the common organisms isolated and were found to be resistant to some of the commonly used antibiotics.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that the utilization and cost of antibiotics are high in medical intensive care unit of the hospital and E. coli was resistant to multiple antibiotics. The findings highlight an urgent need for the implementation of antibiotic stewardship program in order to improve antibiotic utilization in such hospital settings.

Is antibacterial treatment intensity lower in elderly patients? A retrospective cohort study in a German surgical intensive care unit

Background

Demographic change concurrent with medical progress leads to an increasing number of elderly patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Antibacterial treatment is an important, often life-saving, aspect of intensive care but burdened by the associated antimicrobial resistance risk. Elderly patients are simultaneously at greater risk of infections and may be more restrictively treated because, generally, treatment intensity declines with age. We therefore described utilization of antibacterials in ICU patients older and younger than 80 years and examined differences in the intensity of antibacterial therapy between both groups.

Methods

We analysed 17,464 valid admissions from the electronic patient data management system of our surgical ICU from April 2006 – October 2013. Antibacterial treatment rates were defined as days of treatment (exposed patient days) relative to patient days of ICU stay and calculated for old and young patients. Rates were compared in zero-inflated Poisson regression models adjusted for patients’ sex, mean SAPS II- and TISS-scores, and calendar years yielding adjusted rate ratios (aRRs). Rate ratios exceeding 1 represent higher rates in old patients reflecting greater treatment intensity in old compared to younger patients.

Results

Observed antibacterial treatment rates were lower in patients 80 years and older compared to younger patients (30.97 and 39.73 exposed patient days per 100 patient days in the ICU, respectively). No difference in treatment intensity, however, was found from zero-inflated Poisson regression models permitting more adequate consideration of patient days with low treatment probability: for all antibacterials the adjusted rate ratio (aRR) was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.98–1.07). Treatment intensities were higher in elderly patients for penicillins (aRR 1.37 (95%CI: 1.26–1.48)), cephalosporins (aRR 1.20 (95%CI: 1.09–1.31)), carbapenems (aRR 1.35 (95%CI: 1.20–1.50)), fluoroquinolones (aRR 1.17 (95%CI: 1.05–1.30), and imidazoles (aRR 1.34 (95%CI: 1.23–1.46)).

Conclusions

Elderly patients were generally less likely to be treated with antibacterials. This observation, however, did not persist in patients with comparable treatment probability. In these, antibacterial treatment intensity did not differ between younger and older ICU patients, for some antibacterial classes treatment intensity was even higher in the latter. Patient-level covariates are instrumental for a nuanced evaluation of age-effects in antibacterial treatment in the ICU.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4204-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Antimicrobial consumption in five adult intensive care units: a 33-month surveillance study

Background

Estimating the baseline antimicrobial consumption is extremely important to monitor the impact of antimicrobial stewardship activities that aim to reduce the burden and cost of antimicrobial consumption.

Objectives

To quantify service-specific antimicrobial consumption using different metrics.

Methods

A surveillance study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between October 2012 and June 2015 in five adult intensive care units (ICUs). Consumption data were collected manually on a daily basis by infection control practitioners. Data were presented as defined daily dose (DDD), days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient days, and frequency of daily consumption.

Results

A total of 43,970 DDDs and 46,940 DOTs were monitored during 54,116 patient-days. For the most frequently consumed antimicrobials, the consumption of carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam, vancomycin, and colistin (respectively) in all ICUs combined were 255.9, 134.3, 98.2, and 13.6 DDDs per 1000 patient-days and 235.7, 145.9, 129.5, and 117.5 DOTs per 1000 patient-days. For the frequency of daily consumption, carbapenems were the most frequently consumed antimicrobial group in medical/surgical, burn, and step-down ICUs while piperacillin/tazobactam was the most frequently consumed antimicrobial in neuro-surgical and cardio-thoracic ICUs.

Conclusion

High consumption of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents such as meropenem and piperacillin/tazobactam is observed in multiple ICUs in a tertiary care hospital. Meropenem consumption is considerably higher than similar ICUs internationally. Future studies focusing on concurrent monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and identifying patient and physician characteristics associated with specific prescription patterns may help in improving judicious antimicrobial consumption.

Systematic review of antibiotic consumption in acute care hospitals

Antibiotic consumption is an easily quantifiable performance measure in hospitals and might be used for monitoring. We conducted a review of published studies and online surveillance reports reporting on antibiotic consumption in acute care hospitals between the years 1997 and 2013. A pooled estimate of antibiotic consumption was calculated using a random effects meta-analysis of rates with 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was assessed through subgroup analysis and metaregression. Eighty studies, comprising data from 3130 hospitals, met the inclusion criteria. The pooled rate of hospital-wide consumption was 586 (95% confidence interval 540 to 632) defined daily doses (DDD)/1000 hospital days (HD) for all antibacterials. However, consumption rates were highly heterogeneous. Antibacterial consumption was highest in intensive care units, at 1563 DDD/1000 HD (95% confidence interval 1472 to 1653). Hospital-wide antibacterial consumption was higher in Western Europe and in medium-sized, private and university-affiliated hospitals. The methods of data collection were significantly associated with consumption rates, including data sources, dispensing vs. purchase vs. usage data, counting admission and discharge days and inclusion of low-consumption departments. Heterogeneity remained in all subgroup analyses. Major heterogeneity currently precludes defining acceptable antibiotic consumption ranges in acute care hospitals. Guidelines on antibiotic consumption reporting that will account for case mix and a minimal set of hospital characteristics recommending standardized methods for monitoring and reporting are needed.

Point prevalence survey of antimicrobial utilization in the cardiac and pediatric critical care unit

OBJECTIVES

To determine the rate of documented infections and prevalence of antimicrobial use among pediatric patients admitted to the PICU. To assess the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing according to clinical and microbiological findings, Infectious Disease Consult recommendations, and formulary guidelines.

DESIGN

Prospective point prevalence study.

SETTING

Cardiac and medical-surgical critical care units (CCCU-PICU) in a tertiary care pediatric teaching hospital in Toronto, Canada.

PATIENTS

All patients admitted to the CCCU-PICU during the week of October 27, 2008 (period A) and February 9, 2009 (period B) were followed until completion of their antimicrobial course(s). Data were collected on infection types and indications, frequency, and types of antimicrobials used. Appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing was assessed according to predefined criteria by four blinded clinician assessors.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

Forty-two of 60 patients (70%) received antimicrobials in period A and 42 of 53 patients (79%) received antimicrobials in period B. Of the patients on antimicrobials, 45% in period A and 52% in period B had a definitive diagnosis of infection. Pneumonia and sepsis were the most common infections in period A, whereas pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections were the most common in period B. Antimicrobials were commonly prescribed for documented infection (38%) during period A and empiric therapy (47%) during period B. Cefazolin, cefuroxime, vancomycin, and gentamicin were the commonly used antimicrobials during both periods. Inappropriate antimicrobial use ranged from 16.7% to 61.9%, depending on assessors and surveillance period. The most common reasons for inappropriate use were overly broad spectrum, wrong dosage, and unwarranted overlap of spectrum.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a high prevalence of antimicrobial use in CCCU-PICU patients. Because a significant proportion of antimicrobial use was deemed inappropriate, interventions are required to optimize antimicrobial use in critically ill children.

The appropriateness of prescribing antibiotics in the community in Europe: study design

Background

Over 90% of all antibiotics in Europe are prescribed in primary care. It is important that antibiotics are prescribed that are likely to be effective; however, information about antibiotic resistance in the community is incomplete. The aim of our study is to investigate the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in primary care in Europe by collecting and combining patterns of antibiotic resistance patterns and antibiotic prescription patterns in primary care. We will also evaluate the appropriateness of national antibiotic prescription guidelines in relation to resistance patterns.

Methods/Design

Antibiotic resistance will be studied in an opportunistic sample from the community in nine European countries. Resistance data will be collected by taking a nose swab of persons (N = 4,000 per country) visiting a primary care practice for a non-infectious disease. Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae will be isolated and tested for resistance to a range of antibiotics in one central laboratory. Data on antibiotic prescriptions over the past 5 years will be extracted from the electronic medical records of General Practitioners (GPs). The results of the study will include the prevalence and resistance data of the two species and 5 years of antibiotic prescription data in nine European countries.

The odds of receiving an effective antibiotic in each country will be calculated as a measure for the appropriateness of prescribing. Multilevel analysis will be used to assess the appropriateness of prescribing. Relevant treatment guidelines of the nine participating countries will be evaluated using a standardized instrument and related to the resistance patterns in that country.

Discussion

This study will provide valuable and unique data concerning resistance patterns and prescription behaviour in primary care in nine European countries. It will provide evidence-based recommendations for antibiotic treatment guidelines that take resistance patterns into account which will be useful for both clinicians and policy makers. By improving antibiotic use we can move towards controlling the resistance problem globally.

Variations and determinants of antibiotic consumption in Hungarian adult intensive care units

PURPOSE

The aim of this work was to study the use of systemic antibacterials and its possible determinants in Hungarian intensive care units (ICUs).

METHODS

Hospital pharmacy. departments provided package level dispensing data for their corresponding ICU (2006). Data were converted into defined daily doses (DDDs) and expressed as DDD per 100 patient-days and DDD per 100 admissions. Antibiotics were ranked by volume of DDDs, and the agents responsible for 90% of total use (DU90%) were noted. To explore differences and relationships between antibiotic use and antibiotic policy elements/ICU characteristics, the analysis of variances or the Pearson correlation analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Valid data were obtained for 44 ICUs. Antibiotic use varied widely (from 27.9 to 167.8 DDD per 100 patient-days and from 104.7 to 1784.6 DDD per 100 admissions). In total, 11-34 different antibacterials per ICUs were used, of which, 5-15 were in the DU90% segment. The proportional use of parenteral agents ranged from 46.2 to 98.3%. The mean of overall antibiotic use was highest for penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitors, followed by quinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. Of the studied factors, only the ICU category (i.e., level of care) showed significant association with total antibacterial use.

CONCLUSIONS

The striking differences in total antibiotic use and the extensive use of the oral agents in some ICUs may indicate room for improvement. As none of the antibiotic policy elements were accompanied by lower antibiotic use in the pooled analysis, it suggests that--beside the ICU category--other unrevealed factors determine antibiotic use.

Drug-use patterns in an intensive care unit of a hospital in Iran: an observational prospective study

OBJECTIVES

the aim of this study was to evaluate drug-use patterns, investigate the factors influencing patient outcome, and determine the cost of drugs utilized in the intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS

in an observational prospective study, drug prescriptions for 113 patients admitted to the ICU of a hospital in Iran were recorded. The cost of drugs in ICU and the entire hospital was also calculated. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were used to present the results.

KEY FINDINGS

the mean age of patients was 50.3 years (SD = 20.4). The average ICU stay was 6 days. The mean length of stay was significantly lower in surgical patients compared to medical patients (odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84-0.97). Mortality rate was significantly higher among medical patients (OR = 10.5, 95% CI 3.7-29.8). There was a significant positive association between the total number of prescribed drugs or antibiotics received by patients and mortality. Patients received an average of 8.2 drugs at admission, 10.1 drugs during the first 24h and an average of 14.6 drugs over their entire stay at the icu. among drug groups, antibiotics and sedatives were most ordered drugs in icu.

CONCLUSIONS

  antibiotics are responsible for the majority of ICU drug costs. Appropriate selection of antibiotics in terms of type, dose and duration of therapy could tremendously reduce the expenses in hospitals without negatively influencing the quality of healthcare.

Utilization pattern of antibiotics in different wards of specialized Sari Emam University Hospital in Iran

The main goal of this study was to compare the utilization of antibiotics in different wards of a university hospital. Consumption of antibacterial drugs rose dramatically during years 2000-2005 in Iran. Data collected during first half of year 2000 and 2005 in Emam University Hospital in city of Sari in Iran, showed use of antibiotics jumped from 95.4 DBDs (Defined Daily Doses per patient's bed-days) to 124 DBDs. Distribution of different class of anti-microbial showed highest increase in use of vancomycin with 28.4 folds and clindamycin with 4.8 fold. Use of cotrimoxazole, aminoglycosides and tetracyclines remained fairly unchanged during this period. However, during the same period, consumption of penicillin G, aminopenicillins and cloxacillin dropped 10.3, 3.8 and 3 fold, respectively. Among university hospital departments, oncology ward followed by ICU and general surgery consumed the most antibacterial agents in year 2000. In year 2005, ICU ward followed by gynecology, oncology and orthopedic were among the University Hospital Departments with highest consumption of antibiotics. The most highly used antibiotics in year 2000 were cefazolin followed by ampicillin, ceftizoxime and gentamicin. In year 2005, cefazolin, ceftriaoxone, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were the most prescribed antibiotics. Injectable antibiotics accounted for 51.8 and 79.4% of total DBDs in first half of years 2000 and 2005, respectively. The bulk of prescription (90% of total DBDs) was made up of 13 out of 32 total antibiotic types in 2000 and 11 out of 29 total antibiotics types in 2005. Comparing with similar hospitals in other countries, data presented show a dramatic increase in antibiotics prescribed by physician in Emam University Hospital.

Surveillance of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in German intensive care units (SARI): a summary of the data from 2001 through 2004

Objective:

To report the experience gained over 4 years in working with the German SARI project (Surveillance of Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance in Intensive Care Units), and to compare SARI with data from the Swedish STRAMA and the US AUR surveillance system.

Methods:

Prospective unit and laboratory based surveillance was carried out in 40 German ICUs from 2001 through 2004. WHO 2004 definitions of defined daily doses (DDD) per 1,000 patient days (pd) were used to express antimicrobial consumption (AD). Apart from the proportion of resistant isolates (RP), the incidence density of resistant isolates (RD) was calculated on the basis of the number of resistant isolates per 1,000 pd. To determine the changes over time, the Wilcoxon signed rank test for paired samples was used.

Results:

From 1/2001 through 12/2004, 40 ICUs provided data on 53,399 isolates, a total of 789,569 DDD and 597,592 pd. Total AD ranged from 427 to 2,798, with the median being 1,351. There was no statistically significant change in total antimicrobial use, but a statistically significant decrease was observed in the use of aminoglycosides. RD was highest for MRSA with 4.4 resistant isolates/1,000 pd followed by imipenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa with 1.7 resistant isolates/1,000 pd. The corresponding RPs were 21.5% and 23.2%. Over the 4-year period (2001–2004), significant increases were seen in the RDs of third generation cephalosporin and ciprofloxacin resistant Escherichia coli. In 2004, the mean RD reached 0.28 and 1.41, respectively. In comparison, the RP of selected pathogens was highest in the US ICUs and lowest in Swedish ICUs, with the exception of imipenem resistant P. aeruginosa.

Conclusion:

Antibiotic consumption remained stable over a period of 4 years, (the mean being 1,321 DDD/1,000 pd). The same applied to the situation regarding resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, enterococci and P. aeruginosa. For most pathogens the RP was higher in SARI ICUs than in Swedish ICUs, but lower than in US ICUs.

Low antibiotic resistance rates in Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp but not in Enterobacter spp and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a prospective observational study in 14 Swedish ICUs over a 5-year period

BACKGROUND

Intensive care units (ICUs) are hot zones for emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance because of frequent invasive procedures, antibiotic usage and transmission of bacteria. We report prospective data on antibiotic use and bacterial resistance from 14 academic and non-academic ICUs, participating in the ICU-STRAMA programme 1999-2003.

METHODS

The quantity of antibiotics delivered to each ICU was calculated as defined daily doses per 1,000 occupied bed days (DDD(1,000)). Specimens for culture were taken on clinical indications and only initial isolates were considered. Species-related breakpoints according to the Swedish Reference Group for Antibiotics were used. Antibiotic resistance was defined as the sum of intermediate and resistant strains.

RESULTS

Mean antibiotic use increased from 1,245 DDD(1,000) in 1999 to 1,510 DDD(1,000) in 2003 (P = 0.11 for trend). Of Staphylococcus aureus, 0-1.8% were methicillin resistant (MRSA). A presumptive extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) phenotype was found in <2.4% of Escherichia coli, based on cefotaxime susceptibility, except a peak in 2002 (4.6%). Cefotaxime resistance was found in 2.6-4.9% of Klebsiella spp. Rates of resistance among Enterobacter spp. to cefotaxime (20-33%) and among Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem (22-33%) and ciprofloxacin (5-21%) showed no time trend.

CONCLUSION

MRSA and cefotaxime-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp strains were few despite high total antibiotic consumption. This may be the result of a slow introduction of resistant strains into the ICUs, and good infection control. The cause of imipenem and ciprofloxacin resistance in P. aeruginosa could reflect the increased consumption of these agents plus spread of resistant clones.

Prescription of antibiotic agents in Swedish intensive care units is empiric and precise

Since the prescription of antibiotics in the hospital setting is often empiric, particularly in the critically ill, and therefore fraught with potential error, we analysed the use of antibiotic agents in Swedish intensive care units (ICUs). We examined indications for antibiotic treatment, agents and dosage prescribed among 393 patients admitted to 23 ICUs at 7 tertiary care centres, 11 secondary hospitals and 5 primary hospitals over a 2-week period in November 2000. Antibiotic consumption was higher among ICU patients in tertiary care centres with a median of 84% (range 58-87%) of patients on antibiotics compared to patients in secondary hospitals (67%, range 35-93%) and in primary hospitals (38%, range 24-80%). Altogether 68% of the patients received antibiotics during the ICU stay compared to 65% on admission. Cefuroxime was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic before and during admission (28% and 24% of prescriptions, respectively). A date for decision to continue or discontinue antibiotic therapy was set in 21% (6/29) of patients receiving prophylaxis, in 8% (16/205) receiving empirical treatment and in 3% (3/88) when culture-based therapy was given. No correlation between antibiotic prescription and laboratory parameters such as CRP levels, leukocyte and thrombocyte counts, was found. The treatment was empirical in 64% and prophylactic in 9% of cases. Microbiological data guided prescription more often in severe sepsis (median 50%, range 40-60% of prescriptions) than in other specified forms of infection (median 32%, range 21-50%). The empirically chosen antibiotic was found to be active in vitro against the pathogens found in 55 of 58 patients (95%) with a positive blood culture. This study showed that a high proportion of ICU patients receive antimicrobial agents and, as expected, empirical-based therapy is more common than culture-based therapy. Antibiotics given were usually active in vitro against the pathogen found in blood cultures. We ascribe this to a relatively modest antibiotic resistance problem in Swedish hospitals.

Antibiotic use in two cohorts of German intensive care units

Antibiotic use was evaluated in two cohorts of intensive care units (ICUs) in Germany. One cohort included ICUs participating in a surveillance programme (N=34) collecting antibiotic use and bacterial resistance data, with quarterly feedback. The second ICU cohort was from a cross-sectional study and represented a sample from hospitals in South-west Germany (N=58). Two dose definitions were used. These were the World Health Organization/Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC) 2001 definition of defined daily dose (DDD), and a definition of recommended daily dose (RDD) that better reflected the currently prescribed dosages of parenteral drugs for hospitalized patients. Data were expressed as DDD or RDD per 100 patient-days. It was determined whether hospital size and affiliation, year of study and ICU type had an influence on overall use of antibiotics. Overall use differed between the two ICU cohorts irrespective of the dose definitions used. High use of antibiotics was primarily associated with hospital affiliation (university vs non-university) and hospital size. Mean overall use of antibiotics in non-university hospital ICUs ranged between 106 and 111 DDD/100 (59 and 67 RDD/100) for different hospital size categories, compared with 140 DDD/100 (87 RDD/100) in university hospital ICUs. In conclusion, in order to compare the use of antibiotics between ICU cohorts and to assess trends over time, data adjustment is required for hospital affiliation and size.

Prescription auditing and antimicrobial resistance at a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi, India

This paper reports the antibiotic consumption data of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi and bacterial resistance over a seven-year period. Cephalosporins, penicillins and fluoroquinolones were the most widely prescribed antibiotics. A correlation was seen between Escherichia coli resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and increased cephalosporin use, as well as resistance to co-amoxyclav and its use.

Review of antibiotic drug use in a surgical ICU: management with a patient data management system for additional outcome analysis in patients staying more than 24 hours

BACKGROUND

A number of developments have been made in computerized patient data management systems (PDMSs), making them of interest to medical and nursing staff as a means of improving patient care.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the capability of a PDMS to record and provide drug-administration data and to investigate whether the PDMS may be used as a means of support for clinical audits and quality control. Furthermore, we assessed whether antibiotic therapy as a surrogate for infections correlates with hospital mortality in patients staying >24 hours in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU).

METHODS

Because of its medical and economic importance in ICU treatment, we chose to use the field of antibiotic therapy as an example. A PDMS was used in a 14-bed SICU (Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Giessen, Giessen, Germany) to record relevant patient data, including therapeutic, diagnostic, and nursing actions. During a 15-month period (April 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001), antibiotic drug therapy was electronically analyzed and presented using the anatomic therapeutic chemical (ATC) category for antibacterials (ATC group, J01) with daily defined doses. Furthermore, the correlation of antibiotic therapy with patient outcome (hospital mortality) was tested using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 2053 patients were treated in the SICU. Of these, 58.0% (1190 patients) received antibiotics (4479 treatment days; 13,145 single doses). Cephalosporins (ATC category, J01DA) were used most frequently (1785 treatment days [39.9% of treatment days]), followed by combinations of penicillins with beta-lactam inhibitors (ATC category, J01CR; 1478 treatment days [33.0%]) and imidazole derivatives (ATC category, J01XD; 667 treatment days [14.9%]). The antibiotic therapy lasted <3 days in 65.6% of cases. In 13.8% of cases, the treatment lasted >1 week. A total of 36.7% of cases were treated with only 1 antibiotic agent, 14.1% were given a combination of 2, and 7.2% were given a combination of > or =3 antibiotic agents. Seven hundred twenty-six patients remained in the SICU for >24 hours; 143 (19.7%) died during their hospital stay; 110 (15.2%) in the SICU. The duration of antibiotic therapy (odds ratio [OR], 1.46) and number of different antibiotic drugs used (OR, 2.15) significantly correlated with hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Antibiotic therapy in a SICU can be assessed and analyzed in detail using a PDMS. Furthermore, in this study, the duration of antibiotic therapy and the number of antibiotic agents used correlated with hospital mortality. In further developing PDMSs, it is important for quality-assurance purposes to document the reasons for giving antibiotics and for changing prescriptions. It would also be helpful to integrate certain therapy standards and reminder functions for the duration of therapy in the PDMS.

Antibiotic-treated infections in intensive care patients in the UK

The purpose of this audit was to study reasons for starting antibiotic therapy, duration of antibiotic treatment, reasons for changing antibiotics and the agreement between clinical suspicion and microbiological results in intensive care practice. We conducted a multicentre observational audit of 316 patients. Data on demographic details, site, treatment and nature of infection were collected. The median duration of antibiotic therapy was 7 days. Infections were community-acquired in 160 patients (55%). Antibiotics were started on clinical suspicion of infection in 237 patients (75%). Pulmonary infections were the most common, representing 52% of all proven infections. Gram-negative organisms were the most common cause of proven infections (n = 90 (50%)). The antibiotic spectrum was narrowed in light of microbiology results in 78 patients (43%) and changed due to antibiotic resistance in 38 patients (21%). We conclude that the mean duration of treatment contrasts with existing published guidelines, highlighting the need for further studies on duration and efficacy of treatment in intensive care.

Surveillance of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in intensive care units (SARI): 1. Antimicrobial use in German intensive care units

OBJECTIVE

To study antimicrobial use for benchmarking and ensuring quality of antimicrobial treatment and to identify risk factors associated with the high use of antimicrobials in German intensive care units (ICUs) through implementation of the SARI (Surveillance of Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance in ICUs) system.

DESIGN

Prospective, unit-based surveillance on antimicrobial use from February, 2000, until June, 2002. The data are standardised by use of the defined daily dose (DDD) for each antimicrobial defined by the WHO and by calculating use per 1000 patient days.

SETTING

The data were obtained from 35 German ICUs and stratified by type of ICU (medical, surgical, interdisciplinary).

RESULTS

To date, the project covers a total of 266,013 patient days in 744 reported ICU months and 354,356 DDDs. Mean antimicrobial use density (AD) was 1,332 DDD/1000 patient days and was correlated with length of stay. Penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitor (AD 338.3) and quinolones (155.5) were the antimicrobial group with the highest ADs. Comparison with US ICARE (Intensive Care Antimicrobial Resistance Epidemiology)/AUR (Antimicrobial Use and Resistance) data revealed a higher AD for glycopeptides and 3rd generation cephalosporins in ICARE/AUR ICUs, but a higher AD for carbapenems in German SARI ICUs regardless of the type of ICU. In the multivariate analysis, length of stay was an independent risk factor for an AD above the 75% percentile of the total amount of antimicrobials used (OR 1.96 per day); likewise, for the AD above the 75% percentile of carbapenems (OR 1.90 per day) and penicillins with extended spectrum (OR 2.01 per day). High use of glycopeptides and quinolones (AD >75% percentile) correlated with central venous catheter (CVC) rate (OR 1.14 per CVC day per 100 patient days and 1.16, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The SARI data on antimicrobials serve ICUs as a benchmark by which to improve the quality of antimicrobial drug administration and for international comparison.