Antibiotic use in Chinese hospitals: a multicenter point-prevalence study

Point-prevalence surveys of antimicrobial consumption and resistance at a paediatric and an adult tertiary referral hospital in Yangon, Myanmar

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance is increasingly prevalent worldwide. The inappropriate use of antimicrobials, including in the hospital setting, is considered a major driver of antimicrobial resistance.

AIM

To inform improvements in antimicrobial stewardship, we undertook point prevalence surveys of antimicrobial prescribing at Yangon Children's Hospital and Yangon General Hospital in Yangon, Myanmar.

METHODS

We conducted our surveys using the Global Point-Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Consumption and Resistance (Global-PPS) method. All inpatients who were prescribed an antimicrobial on the day of the survey were included in the analysis.

FINDINGS

We evaluated a total of 1,980 patients admitted to two hospitals during December 2019. Of these, 1,255 (63.4%) patients were prescribed a total of 2,108 antimicrobials. Among antimicrobials prescribed, 722 (34.3%) were third-generation cephalosporins, the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial class. A total of 940 (44.6%) antimicrobials were prescribed for community-acquired infection, and 724 (34.3%) for surgical prophylaxis. Of 2,108 antimicrobials, 317 (15.0%) were prescribed for gastrointestinal tract prophylaxis, 305 (14.5%) for skin, soft tissue, bone and joint prophylaxis, and 303 (14.4%) for pneumonia treatment. A stop or review date was documented for 350 (16.6%) antimicrobial prescriptions, 673 (31.9%) antimicrobial prescriptions were guideline compliant, and 1,335 (63.3%) antimicrobials were administered via the parenteral route. Of 1,083 antimicrobials prescribed for a therapeutic use, 221 (20.4%) were targeted therapy.

CONCLUSION

Our findings underscore the need to update and expand evidence-based guidelines for antimicrobial use, promote the benefits of targeted antimicrobial therapy, and support the implementation of hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship programmes at the hospitals surveyed.

Analysis of the impact of antimicrobial management and rational use of antibiotics

OBJECTIVE

The scientific antimicrobial management strategy (AMS) was used to standardise the clinical use of antibiotics and optimise the anti-infection treatment protocol.

METHODS

By formulating antibiotic use indicators and policy interventions, carrying out prescription audits and drug analysis by pharmacists, and establishing an early warning mechanism for bacterial drug resistance, we formed a long-term and scientific antimicrobial management strategy.

RESULTS

From 2012 to 2017, the clinical antibiotics use indicators appeared to trend downward. The rate of antibiotic use in outpatients, the rate of antibiotic use in hospitalised patients, and the antimicrobial use density decreased by 40.36%, 20.93%, and 10.71%, respectively, and the per capita drug cost of antibiotics in outpatients and inpatients decreased. The microbiological susceptibility test rate of antibiotics in hospitalised patients increased each year, and the resistance rate of the main detected bacteria did not significantly increase in the last 6 years. In the evaluation of rational drug use, the use of antibiotics has become more reasonable and standardised, and irrational drug use has been significantly reduced, but we still need to strengthen the optimisation of treatment prescription.

CONCLUSIONS

Scientific management can promote the rational use of antibiotics, reduce the expense of drug use and slow the development of drug resistance, but we need to further optimise the prescription of antibiotics to improve the level of drug treatment.

Antimicrobial prescription patterns in a tertiary-care pediatric unit in Thailand

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest public health threats worldwide. The improper prescription of antibiotics is one factor that promotes antibiotic resistance. Access to antimicrobial surveillance data is essential when assessing the pattern and appropriateness of antimicrobial prescriptions in hospitals and for the establishment of an antimicrobial stewardship program. This study aimed to describe the rate of antimicrobial use and the pattern of prescriptions in a tertiary care pediatric unit in Thailand.

METHODS

A point prevalence survey on antimicrobial use was conducted monthly between January and June 2016, using standardized tools. The survey included all inpatient pediatric beds and identified all children receiving antimicrobial treatment on the day of the survey.

RESULTS

The study included 644 children, 43.3% of whom received antimicrobial treatment during hospitalization. In general wards, the rate of antimicrobial prescriptions was 37.2%; in oncology wards it was 47.0%; in intensive care units it was 38.7%, and in surgical wards it was 67.7%. Meropenem was the most prescribed antimicrobial in the general wards (24.5%) and intensive care units (28.6%), whereas antipseudomonas was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial in the oncology ward (26.6%). For the surgical ward, the most prescribed antimicrobial was third-generation cephalosporin for both prophylaxis and treatment (39.0%). The most common reason for antimicrobial use was the treatment of infections.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly half of hospitalized children received at least one antimicrobial. This was comparable with other pediatric tertiary care centers, although the high use of meropenem was different. This study provides important baseline information on antimicrobial use in a large tertiary-care pediatric unit and could lead to a nationwide survey in the future.

Trends and relationship between antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China: Based on a 3 year surveillance data, 2014-2016

PURPOSES

The objective of the study was to identify the trends and relations between antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antibiotic use in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China from 2014 to 2016.

METHODS

A retrospective, descriptive analysis of AMR prevalence, and trends and relations between AMR and antibiotic use during the 3-year period was performed.

RESULTS

Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli was the most prevalent resistant pathogen in terms of both resistance density and resistance proportion. A significant correlation was found between resistance density of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and the use of beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (cc=0.63, p=0.03), quinolones (cc=0.60, p=0.04), and carbapenems (cc=0.76, p=0.004), among which only beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations showed a significant correlation with third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli (cc=0.63, p=0.03). For carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, not only carbapenem use (cc=0.65, p=0.02) but also penicillin (cc=0.76, p=0.004) and quinolone (cc=0.69, p=0.01) use showed significant correlation. A strong correlation was observed between the resistant proportion of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli and only the use of beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (cc=0.61, p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

The association between antibiotic use and AMR, especially the implication of the difference in resistance density and resistance proportion, is crucial for local physicians and decision-makers to better use of antibiotics and allocate healthcare resources more effectively, as well as to better implement antimicrobial stewardship and effective infection control strategies.

Evaluation of Outpatient Antibiotic Use in Beijing General Hospitals in 2015

BACKGROUND

Medical misuse of antibiotics is associated with the acquisition and spread of antibiotic resistance, resulting in a lack of effective drugs and increased health-care cost. Nevertheless, inappropriate antibiotic use in China remains common and the situation requires urgent improvement. Here, we analyzed the prescriptions of antibiotics and evaluated the rationality of antibiotic use among outpatients in Beijing general hospitals during 2015.

METHODS

We collected basic medical insurance claim data from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 in 507 general hospitals of Beijing. A descriptive analysis of outpatient antibiotic prescribing was performed. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification/defined daily doses system was used to evaluate the rationality of antibiotic use.

RESULTS

Over the study, an estimated 721,930, 613,520, and 822,480 antibiotics were dispensed in primary, secondary, and tertiary general hospitals corresponding to 5.09%, 5.06%, and 2.53% of all prescriptions, respectively. Antibiotic combinations represented 2.95%, 7.74%, and 10.18% of the total antibiotic prescriptions, respectively. Expenditure for the top twenty antibiotics in primary, secondary, and tertiary general hospitals was RMB 42.92, 65.89, and 83.26 million Yuan, respectively. Cephalosporins were the most frequently prescribed class of antibiotic in clinical practice. The antibiotics used inappropriately included azithromycin enteric-coated capsules, compound cefaclor tablets and nifuratel nysfungin vaginal soft capsules in primary hospitals, amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium dispersible tablets (7:1) and cefonicid sodium for injection in secondary hospitals, cefminox sodium for injection and amoxicillin sodium and sulbactam sodium for injection in tertiary hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Antibiotic use in Beijing general hospitals is generally low; however, inappropriate antibiotic use still exists. Inappropriately used antibiotics should be subject to rigorous control and management, and public policy initiatives are required to promote the judicious use of antibiotics.

Antibiotic use and good practice in 314 French hospitals: The 2010 SPA2 prevalence study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to assess antibiotic prescriptions to identify potential targets for improvement.

METHODS

We conducted a point prevalence survey (November 2010) of antibiotic use in 314 voluntary hospitals recruited by the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF) and the National Observatory for Epidemiology of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobials (ONERBA). Data were entered online, immediately analyzed and exported.

RESULTS

The prevalence of antibiotic use was 19.5% (9059/46,446patients). A higher prevalence was observed in the infectious disease (58.4%), hematology (58%), and intensive care (48.7%) units. The three most frequently used antibiotic classes were aminopenicillins (23.8%), fluoroquinolones (17.9%), and 3rd-generation cephalosporins (16.7%). A monotherapy was prescribed to 64% of patients. The reasons for the antibiotic prescription were written in the medical records of 74% of patients and 62% were consistent with the local guidelines.

CONCLUSION

Our results are similar to that of other studies. Various local targets for improvement have been identified to help hospitals define a better antibiotic stewardship.