scholarly journals Antibiotic use and presumptive pathogens in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Tedijanto ◽  
McKenna Nevers ◽  
Matthew H Samore ◽  
Marc Lipsitch
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Bacterial Isolation ◽  
Specimen Collection ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Antibiotic Group ◽  
Bacterial Organism

Abstract Background Empirical antibiotic use is common in the hospital. Here, we characterize patterns of antibiotic use, infectious diagnoses, and microbiological lab results among hospitalized patients and aim to quantify the proportion of antibiotic use that is potentially attributable to specific bacterial pathogens. Methods We conducted an observational study using electronic health records from acute care facilities in the United States Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. From October 2017 to September 2018, 482,381 hospitalizations for 332,657 unique patients that met all criteria were included. At least one antibiotic was administered at 202,037 (41.9%) of included hospital stays. We measured frequency of antibiotic use, microbiological specimen collection, and bacterial isolation by diagnosis category and antibiotic group. A tiered system based on specimen collection sites and diagnoses was used to attribute antibiotic use to presumptive causative organisms. Results Specimens were collected at 130,012 (64.4%) hospitalizations with any antibiotic use, and at least one bacterial organism was isolated at 35.1% of these stays. Frequency of bacterial isolation varied widely by diagnosis category and antibiotic group. Under increasingly lenient criteria, 10.2% to 31.4% of 974,733 antibiotic days-of-therapy could be linked to a potential bacterial pathogen. Conclusions Overall, the vast majority of antibiotic use could be linked to either an infectious diagnosis or microbiological specimen. Nearly half of antibiotic use occurred when there was a specimen collected but no bacterial organism identified, underscoring the need for rapid and improved diagnostics to optimize antibiotic use.

scholarly journals Prospective Audit for Antimicrobial Use and Stewardship Practices in Intensive Care Unit at a Tertiary-Care Center in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s40-s40
Author(s):  
Parul Singh ◽  
Purva Mathur ◽  
Kamini Walia ◽  
Anjan Trikha
Keyword(s):  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Empirical Therapy ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Audit And Feedback ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Defined Daily Dose ◽  
Survey Form ◽  
Specimen Collection ◽  
Days Of Therapy

Background: Antimicrobial decision making in the ICU is challenging. Injudicious use of antimicrobials contributes to the development of resistant pathogens and drug-related adverse events. However, inadequate antimicrobial therapy is associated with mortality in critically ill patients. Antimicrobial stewardship programs are increasingly being implemented to improve prescribing. Methods: This prospective study was conducted over 11 months, during which the pharmacist used a standardized survey form to collect data on antibiotic use. Evaluation of antimicrobial use and stewardship practices in a 12-bed polytrauma ICU and a 20-bed neurosurgery ICU of the 248-bed AIIMS Trauma Center in Delhi, India. Antimicrobial consumption was measured using WHO-recommended defined daily dose (DDD) of given antimicrobials and days of therapy (DOT). Results: Antibiotics were ranked by frequency of use over the 11-month period based on empirical therapy and culture-based therapy. The 11-month DDD and DOT averages when empiric antibiotics were used were 532 of 1,000 patient days and 484 per 1,000 patient days, respectively (Figure 1). When cultures were available, DDD was 486 per 1,000 patient days and DOT was 442 per 1,000 patient days (Figure). Conclusions: The quantity and frequency of antibiotics used in the ICUs allowed the AMSP to identify areas to optimize antibiotic use such as educational initiatives, early specimen collection, and audit and feedback opportunities.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

Changes in antibiotic use following implementation of a telehealth stewardship pilot program

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 810-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigid M. Wilson ◽  
Richard E. Banks ◽  
Christopher J. Crnich ◽  
Emma Ide ◽  
Roberto A. Viau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

AbstractStarting in 2016, we initiated a pilot tele-antibiotic stewardship program at 2 rural Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs). Antibiotic days of therapy decreased significantly (P < .05) in the acute and long-term care units at both intervention sites, suggesting that tele-stewardship can effectively support antibiotic stewardship practices in rural VAMCs.

Hospital-level high-risk antibiotic use in relation to hospital-associated Clostridioides difficile infections: Retrospective analysis of 2016–2017 data from US hospitals

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 1229-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying P. Tabak ◽  
Arjun Srinivasan ◽  
Kalvin C. Yu ◽  
Stephen G. Kurtz ◽  
Vikas Gupta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fourth Generation ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Positive Stool ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Assay Result

AbstractObjective:Antibiotics are widely used by all specialties in the hospital setting. We evaluated previously defined high-risk antibiotic use in relation to Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs).Methods:We analyzed 2016–2017 data from 171 hospitals. High-risk antibiotics included second-, third-, and fourth-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems, and lincosamides. A CDI case was a positive stool C. difficile toxin or molecular assay result from a patient without a positive result in the previous 8 weeks. Hospital-associated (HA) CDI cases included specimens collected >3 calendar days after admission or ≤3 calendar days from a patient with a prior same-hospital discharge within 28 days. We used the multivariable Poisson regression model to estimate the relative risk (RR) of high-risk antibiotic use on HA CDI, controlling for confounders.Results:The median days of therapy for high-risk antibiotic use was 241.2 (interquartile range [IQR], 192.6–295.2) per 1,000 days present; the overall HA CDI rate was 33 (IQR, 24–43) per 10,000 admissions. The overall correlation of high-risk antibiotic use and HA CDI was 0.22 (P = .003), and higher correlation was observed in teaching hospitals (0.38; P = .002). For every 100-day (per 1,000 days present) increase in high-risk antibiotic therapy, there was a 12% increase in HA CDI (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04–1.21; P = .002) after adjusting for confounders.Conclusions:High-risk antibiotic use is an independent predictor of HA CDI. This assessment of poststewardship implementation in the United States highlights the importance of tracking trends of antimicrobial use over time as it relates to CDI.

scholarly journals National trends in the treatment of urinary tract infections among Veterans’ Affairs Community Living Center residents

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 1087-1093 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haley J. Appaneal ◽  
Aisling R. Caffrey ◽  
Vrishali V. Lopes ◽  
Christopher J. Crnich ◽  
David M. Dosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Community Living ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Community Living Centers ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
National Trends ◽  
Culture Positive ◽  
Culture Negative

AbstractObjective:To describe urinary tract infection (UTI) treatment among Veterans’ Affairs (VA) Community Living Centers (CLCs) nationally and to assess related trends in antibiotic use.Design:Descriptive study.Setting and participants:All UTI episodes treated from 2013 through 2017 among residents in 110 VA CLCs. UTI episodes required collection of a urine culture, antibiotic treatment, and a UTI diagnosis code. UTI episodes were stratified into culture-positive and culture-negative episodes.Methods:Frequency and rate of antibiotic use were assessed for all UTI episodes overall and were stratified by culture-positive and culture-negative episodes. Joinpoint software was used for regression analyses of trends over time.Results:We identified 28,247 UTI episodes in 14,983 Veterans. The average age of Veterans was 75.7 years, and 95.9% were male. Approximately half of UTI episodes (45.7%) were culture positive and 25.7% were culture negative. Escherichia coli was recovered in 34.1% of culture-positive UTI episodes, followed by Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella spp, which were recovered in 24.5% and 17.4% of culture-positive UTI episodes, respectively. The rate of total antibiotic use in days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 bed days decreased by 10.1% per year (95% CI, −13.6% to −6.5%) and fluoroquinolone use (ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin) decreased by 14.5% per year (95% CI, −20.6% to −7.8%) among UTI episodes overall. Similar reductions in rates of total antibiotic use and fluoroquinolone use were observed among culture-positive UTI episodes and among culture-negative UTI episodes.Conclusion:Over a 5-year period, antibiotic use for UTIs significantly decreased among VA CLCs, as did use of fluoroquinolones. Antibiotic stewardship efforts across VA CLCs should be applauded, and these efforts should continue.

scholarly journals 857. A Tele-Antibiotic Stewardship Program Influences Antibiotic Use at 2 Rural Veterans Affairs Medical Centers

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S19-S19
Author(s):  
Brigid Wilson ◽  
Richard Banks ◽  
Christopher Crnich ◽  
Emma Ide ◽  
Roberto Viau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Limited Access ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Length Of Therapy

Abstract Background Telehealth offers the possibility of supporting antibiotic stewardship in settings with limited access to people with infectious diseases (ID) expertise. Previously, we described preliminary results from a pilot project that used the Veterans Affairs (VA) telehealth system to facilitate a Videoconference Antimicrobial Stewardship Team (VAST) which connected a multidisciplinary team from a rural VA medical center (VAMC) with ID physicians at a remote site to support antibiotic stewardship. Here, we present 3 distinct metrics to assess the influence of the VAST on antibiotic use at 2 intervention sites. Methods Outcomes assessed antibiotic use in the hospital and long-term care units of 2 rural VAMCs in the year before and after VAST implementation, allowing for a 1-month wash-in period in the first month of the VAST. Using VA databases, we determined 3 metrics: the rate of antibiotic use (days of therapy per 1,000 bed days of care); the mean length of therapy (days); and the mean patient antibiotic spectrum index (ASI), a measure of antibiotic spectrum increasing from narrow to broad. Using segmented regression on monthly measures of each metric with a knot at the wash-in month (gray square), we calculated predicted values (solid lines), and confidence intervals (dashed lines) to examine trends before (black squares) and after (white squares) implementing the VAST. Results The rate of antibiotic use, mean length of therapy, and ASI decreased at Site A. As indicated in the figure, the effect was more pronounced in long-term care compared with the hospital, where the VAST sustained but did not accelerate downward trends. At Site B, the most notable influence of the VAST was on the ASI for the hospital and long-term care units. Conclusion The VAST is a feasible, sustainable program that is effective at inducing change in antibiotic use at 2 VAMCs. The influence of the VAST differed between the 2 sites and, at Site A had a more pronounced effect on the long-term care compared with hospital units. These distinct metrics capture changes in overall antibiotic use, length of therapy, and agent selection. Tele-antibiotic stewardship programs hold potential to improve antibiotic use at facilities with limited access to people with antibiotic stewardship expertise. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

scholarly journals Association of Hospital-Onset Clostridium difficile Infection Rates and Antibiotic Use in US Acute Care Hospitals, 2006–2012: An Ecologic Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S1-S1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Kazakova ◽  
James Baggs ◽  
Lawrence McDonald ◽  
Sarah Yi ◽  
Kelly Hatfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Inpatient Treatment ◽  
Acute Care Hospitals ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Estimating Equation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fourth Generation ◽  
Days Of Therapy ◽  
Facility Level ◽  
Hospital Characteristics

Abstract Background This study investigated the association between facility-level rates of hospital-onset CDI (HO-CDI) and inpatient antibiotic use (AU) in a large group of U.S. acute care hospitals over a 7-year period. Methods We used adult discharge and antibiotic use data from 552 acute care hospitals participating in the Truven Health MarketScan Hospital Database from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2012 to determine facility-level CDI rates and AU. HO-CDI was defined as a discharge with a secondary ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for CDI (008.45) and inpatient treatment with metronidazole or oral vancomycin. The relationship between facility-level HO-CDI (HO-CDI per 10,000 patient-days (PD)) and AU (days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 PD) was examined through multivariate general estimating equation models that accounted for the correlation between annual HO-CDI rates within a hospital. The models controlled for hospital characteristics and a facility-level rate of community-onset CDI (CO-CDI), defined as a discharge with a primary ICD-9-CM code for CDI and inpatient treatment. Results During 2006 to 2012, the mean HO-CDI rate was 11 per 10,000 PD (interquartile range (IQR): 5.7–14.7) and mean AU was 811 DOT/1,000 PD (IQR: 710–932). After controlling for facility-level CO-CDI and other hospital characteristics, overall AU was significantly associated with facility-level HO-CDI rate; for every 50 DOT/1,000 PD increase in AU, there was a 4.4% increase in the HO-CDI rate. Similarly, the only antibiotic classes significantly associated with HO-CDI were third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins (P &lt; 0.0001) and carbapenems (P = 0.0011) with respective increases of 2.1% and 2.4% of HO-CDI per 10 DOT/1,000 PD increase. Fluoroquinolones and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations were not significantly associated with HO-CDI. Conclusion In this ecologic analysis of over 500 hospitals, overall antibiotic use was associated with increased rates of HO-CDI. In contrast to recent patient-level analyses in the United States and national observations in England, only third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems were associated with HO-CDI. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

scholarly journals Legionella in the veterans healthcare system: report of an eight-year survey

2003 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
pp. 835-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. KELLY ◽  
L. H. DANKO ◽  
S. M. KRALOVIC ◽  
L. A. SIMBARTL ◽  
G. A. ROSELLE
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Positive Outcome ◽  
The United States ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Outpatient Clinics ◽  
Fiscal Year ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Department Of Veterans Affairs ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Healthcare Associated

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs tracks legionella disease in the system of 172 medical centres and additional outpatient clinics using an annual census for reporting. In fiscal year 1999, 3·62 million persons were served by the VHA. From fiscal year 1989–1999, multiple intense interventions were carried out to decrease the number of cases and case rates for legionella disease. From fiscal year 1992–1999, the number of community-acquired and healthcare-associated cases decreased in the VHA by 77 and 95·5% respectively (P=0·005 and 0·01). Case rates also decreased significantly for community and healthcare-associated cases (P=0·02 and 0·001, respectively), with the VHA healthcare-associated case rates decreasing at a greater rate than VHA community-acquired case rates (P=0·02). Over the time of the review, the VHA case rates demonstrated a greater decrease compared to the case rates for the United States as a whole (P=0·02). Continued surveillance, centrally defined strategies, and local implementation can have a positive outcome for prevention of disease in a large, decentralized healthcare system.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Framework for Understanding How and Why People Take Antibiotics Without a Prescription

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s93-s93
Author(s):  
Larissa Grigoryan ◽  
Osvaldo Alquicira ◽  
Susan Nash ◽  
Melanie Goebel ◽  
Barbara Trautner
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
At Risk ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Clinical Encounter ◽  
Inadequate Health Literacy

Background: The reported prevalence of nonprescription antibiotic use in the United States varies from 5% among socioeconomically and ethnically diverse primary care patients to 66% among Latino migrant workers. Reports indicate that people obtain and take antibiotics from stores or flea markets in the United States, friends or relatives, and leftover antibiotics from previous prescriptions. This unsafe practice may lead to unnecessary and inappropriate antibiotic use and increases the risk of antibiotic resistance. As groundwork to develop an intervention to decrease nonprescription antibiotic use, we mapped reported drivers of nonprescription use to the Kilbourne conceptual framework for advancing health disparities research. Methods: The Kilbourne framework consists of 3 phases: (1) detection of health disparities and identification of vulnerable populations, (2) understanding why disparities exist, and (3) reducing or eliminating disparities through interventions. We focused on the first 2 phases and mapped the identified drivers of nonprescription antibiotic use onto the key domains of the Kilbourne conceptual framework: patient, healthcare system, and clinical encounter factors. We also conducted brief field research to explore anecdotal reports regarding availability of nonprescription antibiotics in our community. Results: We found 8 studies addressing factors related to nonprescription antibiotic use in the United States. These studies were primarily qualitative and included Spanish-speaking Hispanic and Latino immigrants. Figure 1 shows the proposed factors that may directly or indirectly predict nonprescription antibiotic use. Key potential factors are individual factors, psychosocial factors, resources, healthcare system factors, and clinical-encounter factors. For example, patients with inadequate health literacy may have poor access to care because of difficulty finding providers and choosing or navigating insurance plans; thus, they may be at risk for nonprescription use. At the same time, patients with inadequate health literacy may be at risk for using nonprescription antibiotics for a viral infection because of difficulty understanding medication labels or package inserts. The relevance of resources (availability) to nonprescription antibiotic use was supported by our research team’s purchase of amoxicillin, tetracycline, and metronidazole without prescriptions from a flea market in Houston, Texas. Conclusions: The Kilbourne conceptual framework provides a strong, comprehensive basis for research and intervention in the challenging problem of nonprescription antibiotic use. Ongoing research will test the proposed relationships between patient, healthcare system, and clinical-encounter factors and nonprescription antibiotic use outcomes. We are conducting a survey among both indigent and insured patient populations to identify the relative importance of these factors and to validate our proposed conceptual framework of nonprescription antibiotic use.Funding: This project was supported by grant number R01HS026901 from the Agency.Disclosures: None

Parenteral to Oral Conversion of Fluoroquinolones: Low-Hanging Fruit for Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs?

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makoto Jones ◽  
Benedikt Huttner ◽  
Karl Madaras-Kelly ◽  
Kevin Nechodom ◽  
Christopher Nielson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Safety Issue ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medication Administration ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Bar Code ◽  
Patient Safety Issue ◽  
Va Hospitals

Objective.To estimate avoidable intravenous (IV) fluoroquinolone use in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals.Design.A retrospective analysis of bar code medication administration (BCMA) data.Setting.Acute care wards of 128 VA hospitals throughout the United States.Methods.Data were analyzed for all medications administered on acute care wards between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010. Patient-days receiving therapy were expressed as fluoroquinolone-days (FD) and divided into intravenous (IV; all doses administered intravenously) and oral (PO; at least one dose administered per os) FD. We assumed IV fluoroquinolone use to be potentially avoidable on a given IV FD when there was at least 1 other medication administered via the enteral route.Results.Over the entire study period, 884,740 IV and 830,572 PO FD were administered. Overall, avoidable IV fluoroquinolone use accounted for 46.8% of all FD and 90.9% of IV FD. Excluding the first 2 days of all IV fluoroquinolone courses and limiting the analysis to the non-ICU setting yielded more conservative estimates of avoidable IV use: 20.9% of all FD and 45.9% of IV FD. Avoidable IV use was more common for levofloxacin and more frequent in the ICU setting. There was a moderate correlation between avoidable IV FD and total systemic antibiotic use (r = 0.32).Conclusions.Unnecessary IV fluoroquinolone use seems to be common in the VA system, but important variations exist between facilities. Antibiotic stewardship programs could focus on this patient safety issue as a “low-hanging fruit” to increase awareness of appropriate antibiotic use.

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