Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT): is it safe for selected patients to self-administer at home? A retrospective analysis of a large cohort over 13 years.
OBJECTIVE
Provision of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is an evolving field, facilitating discharge from hospital for selected patients with serious infections. We report on a large OPAT cohort focusing on the practice of supervised parenteral antibiotic administration in the community by patients and relatives, which we collectively term 'self-administration'. To distinguish between healthcare professional OPAT and self-administered OPAT, we have coined the terms H-OPAT and S-OPAT, respectively.


METHODS
We analysed data on 2059 OPAT episodes collected prospectively over a 13 year time period from 1993 to 2005.


RESULTS
Clinical diagnosis, microbiology and antibiotics in this OPAT series are comparable to those previously reported. We identified no excess complications or hospital re-admissions in the S-OPAT group compared with the H-OPAT group.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-administration of intravenous antimicrobial therapy, in selected patients under the supervision of a specialist team, is a safe and feasible strategy.
Matthews
Philippa C
PC
Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK. p.matthews@doctors.org.uk
Conlon
Christopher P
CP
Berendt
Anthony R
AR
Kayley
Jill
J
Jefferies
Lorrayne
L
Atkins
Bridget L
BL
Byren
Ivor
I
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D018718:Home Infusion Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents