title: Antibiotic prescribing pattern in a medical intensive care unit in Qatar.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The primary objectives were to evaluate the current usage of anti-microbial agents in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Doha, State of Qatar and to correlate this with: a) the infectious disease pattern, b) the isolated microorganisms and their sensitivity pattern, and, importantly, c) the patient's clinical outcome. A secondary objective was to evaluate the influence of the use of steroid therapy on the development of fungal infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study covering a 2-month period from February through April 2004, including all patients admitted to the MICU for a minimum of 48 hours, and receiving a systemic antibiotic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the 71 eligible patients admitted, 54 (76%) were treated for presumed or proven infections and received antibiotics, corresponding with 280 (89%) of the 313 patient days. Respiratory infections accounted for 57%. A total of 159 antibiotics (134 intravenously and 25 orally) were administered to the 54 patients during their stay in the MICU, corresponding with an average of almost 3 antibiotics per patient. Ceftriaxone was prescribed in 31 patients (57%) as initial therapy. Throughout the study period, a total of 385 microbiology samples for culturing were taken, corresponding with almost one sample per patient per day. Fifty-two percent of patients had a microbiologically proven infection (MPI): 18% with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), 18% ventilated-acquired pneumonia (VAP), and 11% with hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). In the group of bacterial MPI, sensitivity pattern resulted in change in empirical antibiotic therapy in 12 of 23 patients (52%). In the group of patients with non-MPI, antibiotherapy was changed in 5 of the 26 patients (19%). Yeast infections developed in 13 of 30 (43%) patients receiving steroids (with 3 out of 9 patients (33%) receiving steroids for severe sepsis, and septic shock) compared to 5 of 24 (21%) patients receiving no steroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the urgent need for updated empiric and treatment guidelines as well as the monitoring of the antibiotic usage.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, PO Box 3050, Doha State of Qatar. yhanssens@hmc.org.qa
authors.forename: Yolande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanssens
authors.forename: Bassam B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Ismaeil
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kamha
authors.forename: Sittana S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Elshafie
authors.forename: Fathia S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Adheir
authors.forename: Thoraya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deleu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011780:Qatar
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents