Inappropriate use of antibiotics and Clostridium difficile infection.
We assessed appropriateness of preceding and concurrent antibiotics in 126 consecutive patients with hospital-associated Clostridium difficile infection. In 93 (73.8%) episodes, at least 1 preceding course of antibiotics was inappropriate. We provided feedback on concurrent antibiotics on the day of diagnosis during the final 8 months: 17 of 74 (23.0%) patients were on inappropriate antibiotics. Our recommendations were well received. Reviewing C difficile-infected patients allowed for identification of opportunities to improve antibiotic utilization and potentially improved patient outcomes.
Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Infection Prevention and Control, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Jocelyn A
JA
Srigley
Annie
A
Brooks
Melani
M
Sung
Deborah
D
Yamamura
Shariq
S
Haider
Dominik
D
Mertz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003015:Clostridium Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antimicrobial stewardship; Health care-associated infection; Quality improvement