Antimicrobial prescribing practices in response to different Clostridium difficile diagnostic methodologies.
We evaluated treatment decisions and antimicrobial use related to 2 testing algorithms for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Our findings suggest that a 2-step testing algorithm using rapid polymerase chain reaction confirmatory testing leads to decreased unnecessary anti-CDI antimicrobial use. In addition, a significant proportion of patients with confirmed CDI were not treated according to recommended guidelines.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. esydnor1@jhmi.edu
Emily R M
ER
Sydnor
Abigail
A
Lenhart
Brandon
B
Trollinger
Edina
E
Avdic
Lisa L
LL
Maragakis
Karen C
KC
Carroll
Sara E
SE
Cosgrove
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D003657:Decision Making; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile; D008795:Metronidazole; D014640:Vancomycin; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase