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Aldeyab MA, Crowe W, Karasneh RA, Patterson L, Sartaj M, Ewing J, Lattyak WJ, Al-Azzam S, Araydah M, Darwish Elhajji F, Kabbaha S, Conway BR, Conlon-Bingham G, Farren D, Scott M. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic consumption and prevalence of pathogens in primary and secondary healthcare settings in Northern Ireland. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2023; 89:2851-2866. [PMID: 37160725 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the patterns of antimicrobial use and the incidence of pathogens in primary and secondary healthcare settings in Northern Ireland. METHODS Data were collected on antibiotic use and Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens from primary and secondary healthcare settings in Northern Ireland for the period before (January 2015-March 2020) and during (April 2020-December 2021) the pandemic. Time series intervention analysis methods were utilized. RESULTS In the hospital setting, the mean total hospital antibiotic consumption during the pandemic was 1864.5 defined daily doses (DDDs) per 1000 occupied-bed days (OBD), showing no significant change from pre-pandemic (P = .7365). During the pandemic, the use of second-generation cephalosporins, third-generation cephalosporins, co-amoxiclav and levofloxacin increased, there was a decrease in the percentage use of the hospital Access group (P = .0083) and an increase in the percentage use of Watch group (P = .0040), and the number of hospital Klebsiella oxytoca and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus cases increased. In primary care, the mean total antibiotic consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic was 20.53 DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID), compared to 25.56 DID before the COVID-19 pandemic (P = .0071). During the pandemic, there was a decrease in the use of several antibiotic classes, an increase in the percentage use of the Reserve group (P = .0032) and an increase in the number of community-onset Pseudomonas aeruginosa cases. CONCLUSION This study provides details of both changes in antibiotic consumption and the prevalence of infections in hospitals and primary care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic that emphasize the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in pandemic situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamoon A Aldeyab
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
| | - William Crowe
- Public Health Agency, Health Protection Service, Belfast, UK
| | - Reema A Karasneh
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Lynsey Patterson
- Public Health Agency, Health Protection Service, Belfast, UK
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Muhammad Sartaj
- Global Health Department, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Judith Ewing
- Public Health Agency, Health Protection Service, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Sayer Al-Azzam
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | | | - Feras Darwish Elhajji
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Suad Kabbaha
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Barbara R Conway
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Applied Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
- Institute of Skin Integrity and Infection Prevention, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK
| | | | - David Farren
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Antrim Area Hospital, Antrim, UK
| | - Michael Scott
- Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre, Northern Health Social Care Trust, Antrim, UK
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Impact of the Acceptance of the Recommendations Made by a Meropenem Stewardship Program in a University Hospital: A Pilot Study. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11030330. [PMID: 35326793 PMCID: PMC8944864 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11030330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) promote appropriate antimicrobial use. We present a 4-year retrospective study that evaluated the clinical impact of the acceptance of the recommendations made by a meropenem-focused ASP. A total of 318 meropenem audits were performed. The ASP team (comprising infectious disease physicians, pharmacists and microbiologists) considered meropenem use in 96 audits (30.2%) to be inappropriate. The reasons to consider these uses inappropriate were the possibility of de-escalating to a narrower-spectrum antibiotic, in 66 (68.7%) audits, and unnecessary meropenem use, in 30 (31.3%) audits. The ASP team recommended de-escalation in 66 audits (68.7%) and discontinuation of meropenem in 30 audits (31.3%). ASP interventions were stratified according to whether or not recommendations were followed. The group in which recommendations were accepted and followed (i.e., accepted audit, AA) included 66 audits (68.7%) and the group in which recommendations were not followed (i.e., rejected audit, RA) included 30 (31.3%) audits. The comorbidity of the AA group (Charlson score) was higher than in the RA group (7.0 (5.0–9.0) vs. 6.0 (4.0–7.0), p = 0.02). Discontinuation of meropenem was recommended in 83.3% of audits in the AA group vs. 62.2% in the RA group (OR 3.05 (1.03–8.99), p = 0.04). Ertapenem de-escalation resulted in a 100% greater rate of follow-up compared with the non-carbapenem option (100% vs. 51.9%, OR 1.50 (1.21–1.860), p = 0.001). Significant differences were observed in the AA group when cultures were taken before antibiotic prescription—98.5% vs. 83.3% (p = 0.01, OR 13.0 (1.45–116.86))—or when screening cultures were taken—45.5% vs. 19.2% (p = 0.03, OR 3.5 (1.06–11.52)). There were no differences between the groups in terms of overall mortality and 30-day mortality, length of stay, Clostridiodes difficile infection, 30-day readmission or hospitalization costs. In conclusion, meropenem ASP recommendations contributed to a decrease in meropenem prescription without worsening clinical and economic outcomes.
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