Premium
Indications for antimicrobial prescribing in European nursing homes: results from a point prevalence survey
Author(s) -
Latour Katrien,
Catry Boudewijn,
Broex Elisabeth,
Vankerckhoven Vanessa,
Muller Arno,
Stroobants Rudi,
Goossens Herman,
Jans Béatrice
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.023
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1099-1557
pISSN - 1053-8569
DOI - 10.1002/pds.3196
Subject(s) - medicine , antimicrobial , mupirocin , prevalence , environmental health , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , staphylococcus aureus , epidemiology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , genetics , bacteria
Purpose In light of the emerging problem with multiresistant microorganisms in nursing homes (NHs), the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption NH subproject was set up to measure and describe antimicrobial use across Europe. The aim of this paper was to investigate the indications for antimicrobial use and hence identify targets for quality improvement. Methods Data were obtained from a point prevalence survey conducted in 323 NHs across 21 European countries. A resident questionnaire had to be completed for each resident receiving an antimicrobial, collecting data such as compound name and indication for antimicrobial prescribing. Four main indications for antimicrobial use were recorded: nasal decolonisation of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage with mupirocin, prophylactic, empirical, and microbiologically documented treatments. The latter three treatment types were further subdivided according to the targeted infections. Results In total, 1966 residents were treated with 2046 antimicrobials. Empirical treatments were most common (54.4% of all antimicrobial therapies; prevalence: 3.39 per 100 eligible residents), followed by prophylactic (28.8%; prevalence: 1.87%) and microbiologically documented (16.1%; prevalence: 1.01%) regimes. MRSA decolonisation with nasal mupirocin (0.7%; prevalence: 0.02%) was uncommon. Antimicrobials were most frequently prescribed for the prevention or treatment of urinary (49.5%; prevalence: 3.23%) and respiratory (31.8%; prevalence: 1.81%) tract infections. A very high proportion of uroprophylaxis was reported (25.6% of all prescribed antimicrobials; prevalence: 1.67%). Conclusions The indications for antimicrobial prescribing varied markedly between countries. We identified uroprophylaxis as a possible target for quality improvement. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.