title: Evaluation of a Mixing versus a Cycling Strategy of Antibiotic Use in Critically-Ill Medical Patients: Impact on Acquisition of Resistant Microorganisms and Clinical Outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effect of two strategies of antibiotic use (mixing vs. cycling) on the acquisition of resistant microorganisms, infections and other clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study in an 8-bed intensive care unit during 35- months in which a mixing-cycling policy of antipseudomonal beta-lactams (meropenem, ceftazidime/piperacillin-tazobactam) and fluoroquinolones was operative. Nasopharyngeal and rectal swabs and respiratory secretions were obtained within 48h of admission and thrice weekly thereafter. Target microorganisms included methicillin-resistant S. aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 409 (42%) patients were included in mixing and 560 (58%) in cycling. Exposure to ceftazidime/piperacillin-tazobactam and fluoroquinolones was significantly higher in mixing while exposure to meropenem was higher in cycling, although overall use of antipseudomonals was not significantly different (37.5/100 patient-days vs. 38.1/100 patient-days). There was a barely higher acquisition rate of microorganisms during mixing, but this difference lost its significance when the cases due to an exogenous Burkholderia cepacia outbreak were excluded (19.3% vs. 15.4%, OR 0.8, CI 0.5-1.1). Acquisition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to the intervention antibiotics or with multiple-drug resistance was similar. There were no significant differences between mixing and cycling in the proportion of patients acquiring any infection (16.6% vs. 14.5%, OR 0.9, CI 0.6-1.2), any infection due to target microorganisms (5.9% vs. 5.2%, OR 0.9, CI 0.5-1.5), length of stay (median 5 d for both groups) or mortality (13.9 vs. 14.3%, OR 1.03, CI 0.7-1.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cycling strategy of antibiotic use with a 6-week cycle duration is similar to mixing in terms of acquisition of resistant microorganisms, infections, length of stay and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Nazaret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cobos-Trigueros
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solé
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaudo
authors.affiliation: Health Biostatistic, Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Lazzari
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morata
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nicolás
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mensa
authors.affiliation: ISGlobal, Barcelona Center for International Health Research (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Clinical Microbiology, Hospital Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Barcelona University, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016638:Critical Illness; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents