title: [Intravenous antibiotic treatment in a hospital based home care unit. Predictors of hospital readmission].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intravenous antibiotic therapy at home has showed its efficacy as an alternative to hospitalization care in many infectious pathologies. The objectives of this study are: a) to expose our experience, as hospital at home unit (HHU) integrated within a service of internal medicine, in the antibiotic treatment, and b) to define those parameters that can predict hospital readmissions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included all patients with infectious pathology and intravenous antibiotic therapy who were admitted in our HHU from March 2006 to March 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  145 patients were included in this study. Successful treatment was observed in 92% of patients. Eleven patients were re-admitted at hospital during the episode by infectious disease, and only 2 of them showed adverse effects to treatment. Twenty-two patients were re-admitted at hospital 3 months after due to chronic pathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous antibiotic therapy at home is a good alternative in many infectious pathologies. Infectious pathology and baseline state can be predictors of hospital readmissions.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Hospitalización a Domicilio, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España. jordperez@vhebron.net
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez López
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: San José Laporte
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alemán Mansó
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pardos-Gea
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilardell Tarrés
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents