Correlates of inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics to patients with malaria in Uganda

Comparison of commercially available, rapid, point-of-care C-reactive protein assays among children with febrile illness in southwestern Uganda

In Uganda, children with febrile illness are often treated with antibiotics even though most have self-limiting, likely viral, infections. C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement can help identify those who are more likely to have a bacterial infection and therefore need antibiotic treatment. Implementation of a CRP rapid diagnostic test (RDT) at the point-of-care in resource-constrained settings with minimal laboratory infrastructure could reduce unnecessary antibiotic use. In this study, we evaluated the performance of three semi-quantitative CRP RDTs (Actim, BTNX, Duo) against a reference CRP assay requiring an electrically powered analyzer (Afinion). While both tests demonstrated substantial agreement with Afinion, Actim had slightly higher agreement than BTNX. The sensitivity was higher for the BTNX test, whereas the Actim test had a higher specificity, at cut-offs of 40 mg/L and 80 mg/L. At a cut-off of 20 mg/L, Duo demonstrated substantial agreement with the Afinion test as well. Our results demonstrate the reliability of CRP RDTs when compared to a reference standard. CRP RDTs without the need for a laboratory-based analyzer are promising tools for optimizing antibiotic use in low-resource settings.

Antimicrobial use related problems and determinants in surgical ward of Ethiopian tertiary hospital

BACKGROUND

Antibiotic use related problems lead to the emergence of resistance, failure of therapy, morbidity, mortality, and unnecessary healthcare expenditure. However, little is known about antimicrobial use related problems in our setting particularly in hospitalized surgical patients.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate antibiotic use related problems and their determinants among hospitalized surgical patients.

METHODOLOGY

A prospective observational study was conducted from December 2018 to April 2019 at the surgical ward of the Ayder comprehensive specialized hospital, located in Northern Ethiopia. We included patients admitted to the surgical ward who were on antibiotic therapy or were candidates for antibiotic therapy/prophylaxis. The patients were recruited during admission and were followed daily until discharge. Data were collected through patient interviews and expert reviews of medical and medication records. The appropriateness of antibiotic use was evaluated according to the Infectious Disease Society of America, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and World Health Organization guidelines. Subsequently, antibiotic use related problems were identified and classified based on Cipolle's method followed by consensus review with experts. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify the determinants of antibiotic use related problems. Statistical significance was set at p <0.05.

RESULTS

Among 272 patients, 167(61.4%) experienced antibiotics use related problems. A total of 235 antibiotics use related problems were identified equating 0.86±0.82 problems per patient. The commonly identified antibiotic use related problems were the need for additional drug therapy (29.4%), unnecessary drug therapy (15%), and dosage too high (12.1%). Cephalosporin (47.02%) was the most commonly implicated class of antibiotics in these drug related problems, followed by penicillin (18.45%) and metronidazole (16.02%). Prolonged hospitalization (AOR: 3.57, 95% CI: 1.91-6.70), number of medications≥5 (AOR: 2.08, 95%CI: 1.10-3.94), and lower qualifications of practitioners [general practitioners (AOR: 10.27, 95%CI: 4.13-25.58) and surgical residents (AOR: 2.28, 95%CI: 1.12-4.63)] were predictors of antibiotic use related problems.

CONCLUSION

Antibiotic use related problems were common among the hospitalized surgical patients. Prolonged hospitalizations, number of medications, and lower qualifications of practitioners were predictors of antibiotic use related problems. Therefore, more emphasis should be given for patients with prolonged hospitalization and multiple medications. Moreover, practitioners with higher qualifications including surgical specialists need to be involved in patient evaluations.

Perspective on the Integration of Diagnostic Algorithms for Fever Management

The AMR Diagnostics Use Accelerator Program was established to address antimicrobial resistance. Here, we bring into broad perspective the findings and missed opportunities of the first phase of the program and look toward the second phase.

Levels and determinants of overprescribing of antibiotics in the public and private primary care sectors in South Africa

Although overprovision of antibiotics in primary care is a key driver of antibiotic resistance, little is known about its determinants in low-income and middle-income countries. Patient demand and financial incentives for providers are often held responsible for overprovision. Yet, inadequate provision exists in their absence and could be fuelled by quality of care issues and incorrect beliefs of providers regarding patients' expectations. We explored these issues in the private and public sector in South Africa, by conducting a cross-sectional study using standardised patients (SPs)-healthy individuals trained to portray a scripted clinical case to providers-presenting with symptoms of a viral respiratory infection in a sample of public and private sector clinics. We linked data from SP visits to rich survey data to compare the practices and their predictors in the two sectors. Unnecessary rates of antibiotics were similarly high in the public (78%) and private sector (67%), but private providers prescribed more antibiotics at higher risk of resistance development. In the private sector, overprescription of antibiotics diminished when consultations were more thorough, but increased for consultations scheduled later in the day, suggesting contrasting effects for provider effort and decision fatigue. We observed differences in beliefs that could be responsible for overprescription: in the public sector, a majority of providers (nurses) wrongly believed that antibiotics would help the patient recover more quickly. In the private sector, a majority of doctors thought patients would not come back if they did not receive antibiotics. Overall, this evidence suggests that different factors may be responsible for the high overprescribing rates of antibiotics in the public and private sectors. Tailored stewardship interventions are urgently needed that tackle providers' engrained habits and incorrect beliefs.

Characterising paediatric mortality during and after acute illness in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: a secondary analysis of the CHAIN cohort using a machine learning approach

BACKGROUND

A better understanding of which children are likely to die during acute illness will help clinicians and policy makers target resources at the most vulnerable children. We used machine learning to characterise mortality in the 30-days following admission and the 180-days after discharge from nine hospitals in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).

METHODS

A cohort of 3101 children aged 2-24 months were recruited at admission to hospital for any acute illness in Bangladesh (Dhaka and Matlab Hospitals), Pakistan (Civil Hospital Karachi), Kenya (Kilifi, Mbagathi, and Migori Hospitals), Uganda (Mulago Hospital), Malawi (Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital), and Burkina Faso (Banfora Hospital) from November 2016 to January 2019. To record mortality, children were observed during their hospitalisation and for 180 days post-discharge. Extreme gradient boosted models of death within 30 days of admission and mortality in the 180 days following discharge were built. Clusters of mortality sharing similar characteristics were identified from the models using Shapley additive values with spectral clustering.

FINDINGS

Anthropometric and laboratory parameters were the most influential predictors of both 30-day and post-discharge mortality. No WHO/IMCI syndromes were among the 25 most influential mortality predictors of mortality. For 30-day mortality, two lower-risk clusters (N = 1915, 61%) included children with higher-than-average anthropometry (1% died, 95% CI: 0-2), and children without signs of severe illness (3% died, 95% CI: 2-4%). The two highest risk 30-day mortality clusters (N = 118, 4%) were characterised by high urea and creatinine (70% died, 95% CI: 62-82%); and nutritional oedema with low platelets and reduced consciousness (97% died, 95% CI: 92-100%). For post-discharge mortality risk, two low-risk clusters (N = 1753, 61%) were defined by higher-than-average anthropometry (0% died, 95% CI: 0-1%), and gastroenteritis with lower-than-average anthropometry and without major laboratory abnormalities (0% died, 95% CI: 0-1%). Two highest risk post-discharge clusters (N = 267, 9%) included children leaving against medical advice (30% died, 95% CI: 25-37%), and severely-low anthropometry with signs of illness at discharge (46% died, 95% CI: 34-62%).

INTERPRETATION

WHO clinical syndromes are not sufficient at predicting risk. Integrating basic laboratory features such as urea, creatinine, red blood cell, lymphocyte and platelet counts into guidelines may strengthen efforts to identify high-risk children during paediatric hospitalisations.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationOPP1131320.

Differences in diagnosis, management, and outcomes of acute febrile illness by health facility level in southern Ethiopia

We assessed the diagnosis, management and outcomes of acute febrile illness in a cohort of febrile children aged under 5 years presenting at one urban and two rural health centres and one tertiary hospital between 11 August 2019 and 01 November 2019. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 104 (30.8%) of 338 children at health centres and 128 (65.0%) of 197 at the hospital (p < 0.001). Malaria was detected in 33 (24.3%) of 136 children at the urban health centre, and in 55 (55.6%) of 99 and 7 (7.4%) of 95 children at the rural health centres compared to 11 (11.6%) of 95 at the hospital. Antibacterials were prescribed to 20 (11.5%) of 174 children without guidelines-specified indications (overprescribing) at health centres and in 7 (33.3%) of 21 children at the hospital (p = 0.013). Antimalarials were overprescribed to 13 (7.0%) of 185 children with negative malaria microscopy at the hospital. The fever resolved by day 7 in 326 (99.7%) of 327 children at health centres compared to 177 (93.2%) of 190 at the hospital (p < 0.001). These results suggest that additional guidance to health workers is needed to optimise the use of antimicrobials across all levels of health facilities.

An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescription Rationality at Lower Primary Healthcare Facilities in Three Districts of South-Western Uganda

Purpose

Antimicrobial resistance is now one of the leading five causes of death globally. This study evaluated the rationality of antibiotic prescriptions at lower primary care levels in three districts of Southwestern Uganda.

Methods

This prospective cross-sectional study reviewed 9899 antibiotic prescriptions at 39 health centers following a drug delivery cycle by National Medical Stores in three phases (19 days each on average). Phase 1 started 3 days after delivery, mid-way (Phase 2) and towards the end (Phase 3). The proportion of rationally prescribed antibiotics was determined using a modified criterion by Badar and in reference to Uganda Clinical Guidelines (UCG). Using multivariate logistic regression, the factors associated with rational prescription were determined with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Seven of every 10 antibiotic prescriptions were irrational. Half the prescriptions were made by unauthorized personnel (nurses) and many of the pediatric prescriptions (916, 46.5%) did not bear body weight measurements to guide appropriate dosing. Also, the proportion of rational prescriptions in reference to UCG, 2016 was very low (3387, 34.2%). However, a high proportion of antibiotic prescriptions were legibly written (9462, 95.7%), prescribed by generic names (9083, 91.8%) and had a diagnosis (9677, 97.8%) indicated. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that; availability of medicines (phase 1) (phase 2 AOR=1.14, 95% CI:1.02-1.28, phase 3, AOR=1.23, 95% CI:1.1-1.38), legibly written prescription (AOR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.47-0.78), indication of a date on the prescription (AOR=0.56, 95% CI0.38-0.81) and being a medical officer were factors associated with rational antibiotic prescription.

Conclusion

We observed a high rate of irrational prescription in the study sites and the majority of these were by unauthorized personnel. A review of antibiotic use policies and focused interventions is crucial in these settings.

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tropical Infectious Diseases: Focusing on Dengue and Malaria

Acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) is the presenting symptom of various tropical and infectious diseases. Viral infection is generally the most common cause of AUFI, accounting for 8–11.8% of cases; thus, antibiotics might be unnecessary. Dengue and malaria are common tropical infectious diseases requiring effective supportive treatment and antimalarial agents, respectively. The uncertainty of early diagnosis results in widespread empirical antimicrobial treatment in high -income as well as in low-and middle-income countries. Although rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been shown to limit antibiotic prescriptions in dengue and malaria, we observed a wide range of antibiotic prescriptions for 13–92.7% of cases in previous literature, particularly in RDT-negative malaria cases. Given several RDT limitations, antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) appears to be an effective strategy for controlling unnecessary antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prevention. This program should be endorsed by a multidisciplinary team in tropical diseases to control collateral damage of inappropriate antimicrobial use. Empirical antibiotic treatment should be administered based on clinical judgement, microbiological evidence, and local epidemiological data. Rapid termination of antibiotic therapy, including disease control or elimination, is the mainstay of AMS in tropical diseases. Local and international sectors should implement an AMS programme to reduce AMR in the Tropics.

Clinical management and outcomes of acute febrile illness in children attending a tertiary hospital in southern Ethiopia

Background

The management of febrile illnesses is challenging in settings where diagnostic laboratory facilities are limited, and there are few published longitudinal data on children presenting with fever in such settings. We have previously conducted the first comprehensive study of infectious aetiologies of febrile children presenting to a tertiary care facility in Ethiopia. We now report on clinicians’ prescribing adherence with guidelines and outcomes of management in this cohort.

Methods

We consecutively enrolled febrile children aged 2 months and under 13 years, who were then managed by clinicians based on presentation and available laboratory and radiologic findings on day of enrolment. We prospectively collected outcome data on days 7 and 14, and retrospectively evaluated prescribing adherence with national clinical management guidelines.

Results

Of 433 children enrolled, the most common presenting syndromes were pneumonia and acute diarrhoea, diagnosed in 177 (40.9%) and 82 (18.9%), respectively. Antibacterial agents were prescribed to 360 (84.7%) of 425 children, including 36 (34.0%) of 106 children without an initial indication for antibacterials according to guidelines. Antimalarial drugs were prescribed to 47 (11.1%) of 425 children, including 30 (7.3%) of 411 children with negative malaria microscopy. Fever had resolved in 357 (89.7%) of 398 children assessed at day 7, and in-hospital death within 7 days occurred in 9 (5.9%) of 153 admitted patients. Among children with pneumonia, independent predictors of persisting fever or death by 7 days were young age and underweight for age. Antibacterial prescribing in the absence of a guideline-specified indication (overprescribing) was more likely among infants and those without tachypnea, while overprescribing antimalarials was associated with older age, anaemia, absence of cough, and higher fevers.

Conclusion

Our study underscores the need for improving diagnostic support to properly guide management decisions and enhance adherence by clinicians to treatment guidelines.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07424-0.

Rational use of antibiotics and covariates of clinical outcomes in patients admitted to intensive care units of a tertiary hospital in Kenya

OBJECTIVES

: Rational use of antibiotics implies appropriate choice of an antibiotic administered at correct dose, frequency and duration using the most suitable route of administration. Irrational antibiotics use is associated with antimicrobial resistance, drug failure and high mortality in the critical care units (CCUs). This study sought to establish rational use of antibiotics and determinants of clinical outcomes of patients admitted in the CCUs at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). The findings would guide policy formulation of antibiotics use in hospital CCUs in Kenya and the region.

METHODS

: Retrospective review of 220 admissions to the KNH CCUs over the period February 2018-February 2020 was conducted. Participants' sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, antibiotics therapy, and outcome of admission were extracted from patient files and analyzed using STATA version 23. Determinants of irrational antibiotic use and covariates of clinical outcomes were computed at 95% confidence.

RESULTS

The prevalence of rational use of antibiotics was only 18.5%. Inappropriate choice of antibiotics (51.0%) and incorrect duration (32.3%) were the most common irrational practices. Flucloxacillin (100%), cefuroxime (93.3%), cefazolin (85.7%) and ceftriaxone (83.0%) were the most irrationally used antibiotics. Irrational use of ceftriaxone was significantly associated with clinical diagnosis (p=0.012) while that of amoxiclav was associated with patient risk category (p=0.039). Mortality in the CCUs was 10%, and the odds of dying were almost six times among intubated patients compared to those who were not (AOR 5.5, 95% CI=1.1-28.1, p=0.042).

CONCLUSION

Irrational antibiotics prescribing is high in the KNH CCUs, attributable largely to incorrect choice and wrong duration of antibiotic use. Mortality was significantly associated with intubation. Intensification of management in critical care settings should be directed towards intubated patients while ensuring appropriate choice of antibiotics administered for the correct duration. Future studies should explore factors that could promote rational antibiotics use in critical care settings.

Rapid Diagnostic Tests to Guide Case Management of and Improve Antibiotic Stewardship for Pediatric Acute Respiratory Illnesses in Resource-Constrained Settings: a Prospective Cohort Study in Southwestern Uganda

Pediatric acute respiratory illness (ARI) is one of the most common reasons for evaluation at peripheral health centers in sub-Saharan Africa and is frequently managed based on clinical syndrome alone. Although most ARI episodes are likely caused by self-limited viral infections, the majority are treated with antibiotics. This overuse contributes to the development of antimicrobial resistance. To evaluate the preliminary feasibility and potential impact of adding pathogen-specific and clinical biomarker diagnostic testing to existing clinical management algorithms, we conducted a prospective, observational cohort study of 225 children presenting with malaria-negative, febrile ARI to the outpatient department of a semi-urban peripheral health facility in southwestern Uganda from October 2019 to January 2020. In addition to routine clinical evaluation, we performed influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen testing and measured levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactate in the clinic's laboratory, and conducted a follow-up assessment by phone 7 days later. Almost one-fifth of participants (40/225) tested positive for influenza. Clinical biomarker measurements were low with C-reactive protein of >40 mg/L in only 11% (13/222) of participants and procalcitonin >0.25 ng/mL in only 13% (16/125). All but two children received antibiotic treatment; only 3% (7/225) were admitted. At follow-up, 59% (118/201) of caregivers reported at least one persistent symptom, but fever had resolved for all children. Positive influenza testing was associated with persistent symptoms. In summary, we demonstrate that simple, rapid pathogen-specific testing and biomarker measurement are possible in resource-limited settings and could improve syndromic management and, in turn, antibiotic stewardship. IMPORTANCE Globally, respiratory illness is one of the most common reasons that children seek care. It is often treated inappropriately with antibiotics, which can drive the development of antibiotic resistance. In resource-rich settings, testing for specific pathogens or measurement of clinical biomarkers, such as procalcitonin and C-reactive protein, is often employed to help determine which children should receive antibiotics. However, there are limited data on the use of these tests in resource-constrained, outpatient contexts in sub-Saharan Africa. We enrolled children with respiratory illness presenting to a clinic in southwestern Uganda and performed testing for influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin on-site. Almost all children received antibiotics. We demonstrate that employing clinical algorithms that include influenza and clinical biomarker testing could significantly decrease antibiotic prescriptions. Our study therefore provides preliminary data to support the feasibility and potential utility of diagnostics to improve management of respiratory illness in resource-constrained settings.

An Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Practices in a Rural Refugee Settlement District in Uganda

Ensuring access to effective antibiotics and rational prescribing of antibiotics are critical in reducing antibiotic resistance. In this study, we evaluated antibiotic prescribing practices in a rural district in Uganda. It was a cross-sectional study that involved a retrospective review of 500 outpatient prescriptions from five health facilities. The prescriptions were systematically sampled. World Health Organization core medicine use prescribing and facility indicators were used. Percentage of encounters with one or more antibiotics prescribed was 23% (10,402/45,160). The mean number of antibiotics per prescription was 1.3 (669/500). About 27% (133/500) of the diagnoses and 42% (155/367) of the prescriptions were noncompliant with the national treatment guidelines. Prescribing antibiotics for nonbacterial infections such as malaria 32% (50/156) and noninfectious conditions such as dysmenorrhea and lumbago 15% (23/156) and nonspecific diagnosis such as respiratory tract infection 40% (59/133) were considered noncompliant with the guidelines. On average, 68% (51/75) of the antibiotics were available on the day of the visit. Inappropriate prescribing practices included excessive use of antibiotics and failure to diagnose and prescribe in compliance with treatment guidelines. There is a need to strengthen antibiotic use in the health facilities through setting up stewardship programs and interventions to promote adherence to national treatment guidelines.

Determinants for the use and de-implementation of low-value care in health care: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

A considerable proportion of interventions provided to patients lack evidence of their effectiveness. This implies that patients may receive ineffective, unnecessary or even harmful care. However, despite some empirical studies in the field, there has been no synthesis of determinants impacting the use of low-value care (LVC) and the process of de-implementing LVC.

AIM

The aim was to identify determinants influencing the use of LVC, as well as determinants for de-implementation of LVC practices in health care.

METHODS

A scoping review was performed based on the framework by Arksey and O'Malley. We searched four scientific databases, conducted snowball searches of relevant articles and hand searched the journal Implementation Science for peer-reviewed journal articles in English. Articles were included if they were empirical studies reporting on determinants for the use of LVC or de-implementation of LVC. The abstract review and the full-text review were conducted in duplicate and conflicting decisions were discussed until consensus was reached. Data were charted using a piloted data charting form and the determinants were inductively coded and categorised in an iterative process conducted by the project group.

RESULTS

In total, 101 citations were included in the review. Of these, 92 reported on determinants for the use of LVC and nine on determinants for de-implementation. The studies were conducted in a range of health care settings and investigated a variety of LVC practices with LVC medication prescriptions, imaging and screening procedures being the most common. The identified determinants for the use of LVC as well as for de-implementation of LVC practices broadly concerned: patients, professionals, outer context, inner context, process and evidence and LVC practice. The results were discussed in relation to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

CONCLUSION

The identified determinants largely overlap with existing implementation frameworks, although patient expectations and professionals' fear of malpractice appear to be more prominent determinants for the use and de-implementation of LVC. Thus, existing implementation determinant frameworks may require adaptation to be transferable to de-implementation. Strategies to reduce the use of LVC should specifically consider determinants for the use and de-implementation of LVC.

REGISTRATION

The review has not been registered.

A mixed method multi-country assessment of barriers to implementing pediatric inpatient care guidelines

Introduction

Accelerating progress in reducing child deaths is needed in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal child mortality target. This will require a focus on vulnerable children–including young children, those who are undernourished or with acute illnesses requiring hospitalization. Improving adherence to inpatient guidelines may be an important strategy to reduce child mortality, including among the most vulnerable. The aim of our assessment of nine sub-Saharan African and South Asian hospitals was to determine adherence to pediatric inpatient care recommendations, in addition to capacity for and barriers to implementation of guideline-adherent care prior to commencing the Childhood Acute Illness and Nutrition (CHAIN) Cohort study. The CHAIN Cohort study aims to identify modifiable risk factors for poor inpatient and post discharge outcomes above and beyond implementation of guidelines.

Methods

Hospital infrastructure, staffing, durable equipment, and consumable supplies such as medicines and laboratory reagents, were evaluated through observation and key informant interviews. Inpatient medical records of 2–23 month old children were assessed for adherence to national and international guidelines. The records of children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were oversampled to reflect the CHAIN study population. Seven core adherence indicators were examined: oximetry and oxygen therapy, fluids, anemia diagnosis and transfusion, antibiotics, malaria testing and antimalarials, nutritional assessment and management, and HIV testing.

Results

All sites had facilities and equipment necessary to implement care consistent with World Health Organization and national guidelines. However, stockouts of essential medicines and laboratory reagents were reported to be common at some sites, even though they were mostly present during the assessment visits. Doctor and nurse to patient ratios varied widely. We reviewed the notes of 261 children with admission diagnoses of sepsis (17), malaria (47), pneumonia (70), diarrhea (106), and SAM (119); 115 had multiple diagnoses. Adherence to oxygen therapy, antimalarial, and malnutrition refeeding guidelines was >75%. Appropriate antimicrobials were prescribed for 75% of antibiotic-indicative conditions. However, 20/23 (87%) diarrhea and 20/27 (74%) malaria cases without a documented indication were prescribed antibiotics. Only 23/122 (19%) with hemoglobin levels meeting anemia criteria had recorded anemia diagnoses. HIV test results were infrequently documented even at hospitals with universal screening policies (66/173, 38%). Informants at all sites attributed inconsistent guideline implementation to inadequate staffing.

Conclusion

Assessed hospitals had the infrastructure and equipment to implement guideline-consistent care. While fluids, appropriate antimalarials and antibiotics, and malnutrition refeeding adherence was comparable to published estimates from low- and high-resource settings, there were inconsistencies in implementation of some other recommendations. Stockouts of essential therapeutics and laboratory reagents were a noted barrier, but facility staff perceived inadequate human resources as the primary constraint to consistent guideline implementation.

Drug use in the management of uncomplicated malaria in public health facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Background

Malaria the first causes of death from parasitic infection worldwide. Interventions to reduce the burden of malaria have produced a tremendous drop in malaria morbidity and mortality. However, progress is slower in DRC, which shares with Nigeria 39% of deaths related to malaria globally. Inappropriate use of drugs may be one of the factors of this below-average performance. The aim of this study was to describe the use of drugs in the management of uncomplicated malaria in public health facilities in DRC.

Methods

A drug use study was carried out in DRC from January to March 2014. In each of the former 11 provinces of DRC, one Rural Health Centre, one Urban Health Centre and one General Hospital were selected. In each of them, 100 patient’s files containing prescription of anti-malarials from January to December 2013 were randomly selected. Among them, all of the files with diagnosis of uncomplicated malaria were included in this study. Prescribed anti-malarials, co-prescribed drugs and their indications were collected. Descriptive analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 2300 files out of 3300 (69.7%) concerned uncomplicated malaria and were included in analysis. Malaria treatment was initiated after a positive RDT or microscopy in 51.5% of cases, upon suspicion without requesting biological confirmation in 37% and despite negative results in 11%. Twenty-nine (29) different treatment regimens were used. The drugs recommended by the National Malaria Control Programme were used in 54.3% of cases (artesunate–amodiaquine 37.4% or artemether–lumefantrine 16.9%). The second most used anti-malarial was quinine (32.4%). Apart from anti-malarials, an average of 3.1 drugs per patient were prescribed, among which antibiotics (67.9%), analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) (all abbreviations to be explicated on first use) (70.6%), vitamins (29.1%), anaemia drugs, including blood transfusion (9.1%) and corticosteroids (5.7%), In 51.4% of cases there was no indication for the concomitant medication.

Conclusion

Management of uncomplicated malaria in DRC is characterized by a low adherence to treatment policy, numerous treatment regimens, and abundant concomitant medication potentially harmful to the patient. This may contribute to the low performance of DRC in malaria control. Determinant of this irrational use of drugs need to be assessed in order to formulate and implement efficient corrective measures.

Quality of care in integrated community case management services in Bugoye, Uganda: a retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Village health workers (VHWs) in five villages in Bugoye subcounty (Kasese District, Uganda) provide integrated community case management (iCCM) services, in which VHWs evaluate and treat malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea in children under 5 years of age. VHWs use a "Sick Child Job Aid" that guides them through the evaluation and treatment of these illnesses. A retrospective observational study was conducted to measure the quality of iCCM care provided by 23 VHWs in 5 villages in Bugoye subcounty over a 2-year period.

METHODS

Patient characteristics and clinical services were summarized using existing aggregate programme data. Lot quality assurance sampling of individual patient records was used to estimate adherence to the iCCM algorithm, VHW-level quality (based on adherence to the iCCM protocol), and change over time in quality of care (using generalized estimating equations regression modelling).

RESULTS

For each of 23 VHWs, 25 patient visits were randomly selected from a 2-year period after iCCM care initiation. In these visits, 97% (150) of patients with diarrhoea were treated with oral rehydration and zinc, 95% (216) of patients with pneumonia were treated with amoxicillin, and 94% (240) of patients with malaria were treated with artemisinin-based combination therapy or rectal artesunate. However, only 44% (44) of patients with a negative rapid test for malaria were appropriately referred to a health facility. Overall, 75% (434) of patients received all the correct evaluation and management steps. Only 9 (39%) of the 23 VHWs met the pre-determined LQAS threshold for high-quality care over the 2-year observation period. Quality of care increased significantly in the first 6 months after initiation of iCCM services (p = 0.003), and then plateaued during months 7-24.

CONCLUSIONS

Quality of care was high for uncomplicated malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. Overall quality of care was lower, in part because VHWs often did not follow the guidelines to refer patients with fever who tested negative for malaria. Quality of care appears to improve in the initial months after iCCM implementation, as VHWs gain initial experience in iCCM care.

Distribuição e custo de antimicrobianos na Atenção Primária

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar a distribuição e custos de antimicrobianos na Atenção Primária de uma capital da Região Nordeste do Brasil. Método: Estudo transversal, analítico, desenvolvido em Teresina, Piauí, Brasil. Os dados contemplam o período de junho de 2015 a julho de 2016. Calculou-se estatísticas descritivas e o Teste de Kruskal-Wallis para comparar as medianas das distribuições de dados independentes. Resultados: Foram distribuídos 1.651.516 antimicrobianos de 15 tipos diferentes dos quais a amoxicilina (500mg) foi o mais distribuído (75%) nos Centros de Atenção Psicossocial e nas Unidades Básicas de Saúde (47%). O custo total no período foi de 98.705,00 reais. Não houve diferenças estatisticamente significante entre as medianas dos custos em cada zona do município estudado. Conclusão: A distribuição desses medicamentos é realizada de forma irregular entre as unidades, de acordo com a demanda. O fornecimento não segue protocolo específico, e não se investiga um possível aumento na demanda ou redução.

Challenges in implementing uncomplicated malaria treatment in children: a health facility survey in rural Malawi

Background

Prompt and effective malaria treatment are key in reducing transmission, disease severity and mortality. With the current scale-up of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) coverage, there is need to focus on challenges affecting implementation of the intervention. Routine indicators focus on utilization and coverage, neglecting implementation quality. A health system in rural Malawi was assessed for uncomplicated malaria treatment implementation in children.

Methods

A cross-sectional health facility survey was conducted in six health centres around the Majete Wildlife Reserve in Chikwawa district using a health system effectiveness approach to assess uncomplicated malaria treatment implementation. Interviews with health facility personnel and exit interviews with guardians of 120 children under 5 years were conducted.

Results

Health workers appropriately prescribed an ACT and did not prescribe an ACT to 73% (95% CI 63–84%) of malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) positive and 98% (95% CI 96–100%) RDT negative children, respectively. However, 24% (95% CI 13–37%) of children receiving artemisinin–lumefantrine had an inappropriate dose by weight. Health facility findings included inadequate number of personnel (average: 2.1 health workers per 10,000 population), anti-malarial drug stock-outs or not supplied, and inconsistent health information records. Guardians of 59% (95% CI 51–69%) of children presented within 24 h of onset of child’s symptoms.

Conclusion

The survey presents an approach for assessing treatment effectiveness, highlighting bottlenecks which coverage indicators are incapable of detecting, and which may reduce quality and effectiveness of malaria treatment. Health service provider practices in prescribing and dosing anti-malarial drugs, due to drug stock-outs or high patient load, risk development of drug resistance, treatment failure and exposure to adverse effects.

Antibiotic prescriptions for inpatients having non-bacterial diagnosis at medicine departments of two private sector hospitals in Madhya Pradesh, India: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To present and compare antibiotic prescribing for inpatients among the most common non-bacterial diagnoses groups at medicine departments of a teaching (TH) and a non-teaching hospital (NTH) in central India.

SETTING

An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at two tertiary care settings in Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh, India.

DATA AND PARTICIPANTS

The data were collected manually, using a customised form. Complete records of all inpatients, who were >15 years of age and had stayed for at least one night in either of the hospitals during 2008-2011, were analysed.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Inpatients were grouped according to the presence or absence of a bacterial infectious diagnosis, viral/malaria fever or cardiovascular disease. Classes of antibiotics prescribed to these groups and adherence to the available prescribing guidelines were compared between the hospitals using the notes from the patient files and the diagnoses.

RESULTS

Of 20 303 inpatients included in the study, 66% were prescribed antibiotics. Trade name prescribing and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics were more frequent at the NTH than at the TH (p<0.001). At the TH a significantly higher proportion of patients having fever without registered bacterial infection were prescribed antibiotics (82%) compared with the NTH (71%, p<0.001). Patients admitted for cardiovascular diagnosis without registered bacterial infections received antibiotic prescriptions at both hospitals (NTH 47% and TH 37%) but this was significantly higher at the NTH (p<0.001). None of the diagnoses were confirmed by microbiology reports.

CONCLUSIONS

Prescribing antibiotics, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, to inpatients without bacterial infections-that is, viral fever, malaria and cardiovascular disease, was common at both hospitals, which increases the risk for development of bacterial resistance, a global public health threat. In view of the overprescribing of antibiotics, the main recommendations are development and implementation of local prescription guidelines, encouragement to use laboratory facilities and prescription analysis, with antibiotic stewardship programmes.

Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia and implications for vaccination of children living in developing and newly industrialized countries: A systematic literature review

This systematic review evaluated the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in children <6 y of age within 90 developing and newly industrialized countries. Literature searches (1990–2011), based on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, CAB Global Health, WHO, UNICEF, country-specific websites, conferences, health-technology-assessment agencies, and the reference lists of included studies, yielded 8,734 records; 62 of 340 studies were included in this review. The highest incidence rate among included studies was 0.51 episodes/child-year, for children <5 y of age in Bangladesh. The highest prevalence was in Chinese children <6 months of age (37.88%). The main bacterial pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae and the main viral pathogens were respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus and rhinovirus. Community-acquired pneumonia remains associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Improved and efficient surveillance and documentation of the epidemiology and burden of community-acquired pneumonia across various geographical regions is warranted.

A New Product Development Partnership Model for Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotics have prevented countless deaths from common infections and have made possible many modern medical procedures. Over the past few decades, antibiotic-resistant bacteria have become a global threat, spreading between healthcare facilities and throughout communities worldwide at an alarming pace. Antibiotic overuse and misuse in humans, animals, and the environment accelerate resistance by selecting for bacteria with antibiotic-resistant traits, which then become predominant and infect others. Meanwhile, few antibiotics remain active against the most resistant bacteria. There is an urgent need for new antibiotics and other antibacterial products to replace second-line and last resort therapies when they no longer work. This Article proposes a new U.S.-based, non-governmental, not-for-profit product development partnership (PDP) model specifically designed for antibacterial development. This new model should both supplement and complement existing government-led efforts and should be built with mechanisms in place to balance the values of innovation, access, and conservation.

Global emergency medicine: a review of the literature from 2014

OBJECTIVES

The Global Emergency Medicine Literature Review (GEMLR) conducts an annual search of peer-reviewed and gray literature relevant to global emergency medicine (EM) to identify, review, and disseminate the most important new research in this field to a worldwide audience of academics and clinical practitioners.

METHODS

This year 6,376 articles written in six languages were identified by our search. These articles were distributed among 20 reviewers for initial screening based on their relevance to the field of global EM. An additional two reviewers searched the gray literature. A total of 477 articles were deemed appropriate by at least one reviewer and approved by the editor for formal scoring of overall quality and importance.

RESULTS

Of the 477 articles that met our predetermined inclusion criteria, 63% were categorized as emergency care in resource-limited settings, 13% as EM development, and 23% as disaster and humanitarian response. Twenty-five articles received scores of 17.5 or higher and were selected for formal summary and critique. Inter-rater reliability for two reviewers using our scoring system was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.657 (95% confidence interval = 0.589 to 0.713). Studies and reviews focusing on infectious diseases, trauma, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases common in resource-limited settings represented the majority of articles selected for final review.

CONCLUSIONS

In 2014, there were fewer total articles, but a slightly higher absolute number of articles screening in for formal scoring, when compared to the 2013 review. The number of EM development articles decreased, while the number of disaster and humanitarian response articles increased. As in prior years, the majority of articles focused on infectious diseases and trauma.