Article and Study Summary:
Article
Implementing an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in an Oncology Center in Lima, Peru: A Model for Low-and Middle-Income Countries.
Published in:
Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 2024; 4(8): ofae402. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae402
Authors:
Seas C, Legua P, Delfin B, et al.
Summary
This study evaluated the performance of a multi-faceted antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) intervention strategy to foster acceptance of recommended antimicrobial regimens, optimize antimicrobial consumption, and streamline the use of antimicrobials for surgical prophylaxis. AMS interventions included multidisciplinary collaboration, documentation of microbial information, guidelines development, education and training, audit and feedback, pharmacy alerts, and continuous quality improvement. Data were collected prospectively on the rate of first and second audits, acceptance of recommendations, antimicrobial consumption using a daily defined dose per 100 patient days, and prescription and adequacy of surgical prophylaxis. Between 2016 and 2023, the proportion of antimicrobial prescriptions audited increased from 60% to 95%, and 65% to 95% of recommendations were accepted. Consumption of vancomycin and meropenem dropped by 95% and 84%, respectively. The proportion of recommendations for surgical prophylaxis exceeded 90%. These findings highlight the feasibility of implementing a multifaceted intervention to enhance antimicrobial use within oncology centers in resource-limited settings.
Full Synopsis:
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Discussion Questions:
1) How could the findings in this study impact policy where you work?
2) What would it take to implement the study intervention in the programs you work with? Do you have any experiences to share?
Articles of Note:
- Nofal MR, Tesfaye A, Gebeyehu N, et al. A Prospective Quality Improvement Program to Reduce Prolonged Postoperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Ethiopia. Surgical Infections. https://doi.org/10.1089/sur.2024.059
- Diaz-Morales E, Pacheco-Hermosilla AP, Castro-Mangonez DE, Pajaro-Castro N. Implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at the Hospital and ICU Level of a Clinic in Sincelejo-Sucre. Scientia Pharmaceutica. 2024; 92(3):39. https://doi.org/10.3390/scipharm92030039
