title: Hand hygiene, and not ertapenem use, contributed to reduction of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa rates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of ertapenem use in Pseudomonas aeruginosa carbapenem resistance, taking into account the volume of antimicrobial consumption, the consumption by the entire hospital of alcohol-based antiseptic hand rub, and the density rate of invasive practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Before-and-after trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary care university hospital in southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ertapenem was first added to the hospital formulary in June 2006, and it was excluded in February 2009. We evaluated Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance rates through 3 study periods: period 1, before ertapenem use (17 months); period 2, during ertapenem use (33 months); and period 3, after exclusion of ertapenem (15 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After introduction of ertapenem, there was a significant decrease in median consumption of imipenem or meropenem, from 2.6 to 2.2 defined daily doses (DDDs) per 100 patient-days (level change from 0.04 to -1.08; P < .01), and an increase in the use of these medications after ertapenem exclusion, from 2.2 to 3.3 DDDs per 100 patient-days (level change from -0.14 to 0.91; P < .01), by segmented regression analysis. There was no difference in the incidence density of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa infection related to ertapenem use throughout the study periods. However, by multiple regression analysis, the reduction in the rate of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa infection correlated significantly with the increase in the volume of alcohol used as hand sanitizer, which was from 660.7 mL per 100 patient-days in period 1 to 2,955.1 mL per 100 patient-days in period 3 (P = .04). Ertapenem use did not impact the rate of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of alcohol-based hand gel, rather than ertapenem, was associated with a reduction in the rates of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa infection. Measures to reduce resistance must include factors other than just antimicrobial stewardship programs alone.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Infection Control Committee, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pires dos Santos
authors.forename: Thalita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pires Machado
authors.forename: Thiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lisboa
authors.forename: Sandra Ludwig
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gastal
authors.forename: Fabiano Márcio
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Nagel
authors.forename: Nádia Mora
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kuplich
authors.forename: Loriane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Konkewicz
authors.forename: Carem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorniak Lovatto
authors.forename: Márcia Rosane
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Luciano Zubaran
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Goldani
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D000077727:Ertapenem; D006235:Hand Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015780:Carbapenems; D047090:beta-Lactams; D000077727:Ertapenem