title: Antibiotic use on the surgical services of two Jerusalem hospitals, as determined by surveillance and influenced by an intervention program.
abstract: The use of antimicrobial drugs on the surgical services of two hospitals in Jerusalem, Israel, was surveyed prospectively. At one hospital (C), the use of these drugs was controlled: at the other (N), the use was not controlled. At both hospitals the cephalosporins accounted for approximately 21% of the antimicrobial drug-group courses (AMDGCs), however, they accounted for only 11% of the antimicrobial days (AMDs) at C but 22% at N. Prophylaxis after surgical procedures accounted for the initiation of 36% and 33% of the AMDGCs at C and N, respectively. The geometric mean of the duration of prophylactic courses of drug therapy was 3.2 days at C and 3.9 days at N (P less than 0.01). Excessively prolonged prophylaxis accounted for approximately 61% (388 AMDs) of prophylactic use at N and 55% (646 AMDs) at C. At C the proportion of patients receiving prophylaxis in high-risk surgical operations increased from 39% to 97% after the introduction of protocols for prophylaxis, but the average quantity of antimicrobial drugs administered per patient decreased by 38%.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins