title: Comparison of antibiotic use between an 'open' and a 'closed' intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine differences in antibiotic use between a 'closed' ICU in a hospital in Israel and an 'open' ICU in a Kenyan hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ICU of Beilinson hospital in Rabin Medical Centre, Tel Aviv, Israel and the ICU of Mater Hospital, Nairobi Kenya.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty patients from Beilinson and one hundred fifty one patients from Mater Hospital were enroled.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antibiotic use in the different ICU settings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven different antibiotics namely Erythromycin, Meropenem, Taxobactam/Piperacillin, Metronidazole, Gentamycin, Ceftriaxone and Cefuroxime were used in sufficient numbers in both centres to allow for statistical analysis. Four of these seven namely metronidazole, gentamycin, ceftriaxone and cefuroxime demonstrated statistically significant difference between the two centres.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level, of antibiotic use is demonstrably higher in 'open' ICUs with fewer controls to antibiotic prescriptions than in 'closed' ICUs with stricter control.
authors.affiliation: ICU, Mater Hospital, P.O. Box 30325, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Murunga
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reriani
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Otieno
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Wanyoike
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007557:Israel; D007630:Kenya; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents