Effect of optimized antibiotic prophylaxis on the incidence of surgical site infection.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the rate of surgical site infection (SSI) before and after an intervention period in which an optimized policy for antibiotic prophylaxis was implemented. To demonstrate that a more prudent, restrictive policy would not have a detrimental effect on patient outcomes.


METHODS
Before-after trial with prospective SSI surveillance in the Dutch nosocomial surveillance network (Preventie Ziekenhuisinfecties door Surveillance [PREZIES]), using the criteria of the Centers for Disease Control, including postdischarge surveillance for up to 1 year.


METHODS
During a preintervention period and a postintervention period (both 6-13 months), 12 Dutch hospitals collected data on antimicrobial prophylaxis and SSI rates. The study was limited to commonly performed surgical procedures in 4 specialties: vascular, intestinal, gynecological and orthopedic surgery. Selected risk factors for analysis were sex, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, wound contamination class, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay before surgery, and urgency of surgery (elective or acute).


RESULTS
A total of 3,621 procedures were included in the study, of which 1,668 were performed before the intervention and 1,953 after. The overall SSI rate decreased from 5.4% to 4.5% (P=.22). Among the procedures included in the study, the largest proportion (55%) were total hip arthroplasty, and the smallest proportion (2%) were replacement of the head of the femur. SSI rates varied from 0% for vaginal hysterectomy to 21.1% for femoropopliteal or femorotibial bypass surgery. Crude and adjusted odds ratios showed that there were no significant changes in procedure-specific SSI rates after the intervention (P>.1).


CONCLUSIONS
An optimized and restrictive antibiotic prophylaxis policy had no detrimental effect on the outcome of clean and clean contaminated surgery, as measured by SSI rate.
Manniën
Judith
J
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Judith.Mannien@rivm.nl
van Kasteren
Marjo E E
ME
Nagelkerke
Nico J
NJ
Gyssens
Inge C
IC
Kullberg
Bart Jan
BJ
Wille
Jan C
JC
de Boer
Annette S
AS
D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D065187:Controlled Before-After Studies; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*