title: Pharmacist interventions on antibiotic use in inpatients with respiratory tract infections in a Chinese hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of pharmacist interventions on antibiotic use in inpatients with respiratory tract infections in a tertiary hospital in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two independent respiratory wards were randomized into control and intervention group. Between July 2009 and April 2010, all inpatients diagnosed with respiratory tract infections were enrolled. Pharmacist interventions were performed on the physicians in the intervention group. The total cost of hospitalization, cost of antibiotics, length of hospital stay and the scores of 6 items of inappropriate antibiotic use (including indication, choice, dosage, dosing schedule, duration and conversion) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total costs of hospitalization in the intervention group were significant lower compared to the control group ($1442.3 ± 684.9 vs. $1729.6 ± 773.7, P < 0.001), as well as the cost of antibiotics ($832.0 ± 373.0 vs. $943.9 ± 412.0, P = 0.01), and the patients required shorter length of hospital stay (14.2 ± 6.2 vs. 15.8 ± 6.0 days, P = 0.03). The scores with respect to the 6 items of inappropriate antibiotic use were all lower in the intervention group than in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacist interventions, interacted directly with the physicians at ward level, could play an important role in optimizing antibiotic use, thus lead to the reduction in patients' length of hospital stay and health care cost.
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Shen
authors: Qingmin
authors: Q
authors: Sun
authors: Xianmei
authors: X
authors: Zhou
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Wei
authors: Yongjian
authors: Y
authors: Qi
authors: Jiping
authors: J
authors: Zhu
authors: Tingting
authors: T
authors: Yan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002681:China; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024382:Professional Role; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents