Inadequate treatment of nosocomial infections is associated with certain empiric antibiotic choices

Crit Care Med. 2000 Oct;28(10):3456-64. doi: 10.1097/00003246-200010000-00014.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of scheduled changes of antibiotic classes, used for the empirical treatment of suspected or documented Gram-negative bacterial infections, on the occurrence of inadequate antimicrobial treatment of nosocomial infections.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Medical (19-bed) and surgical (18-bed) intensive care units in an urban teaching hospital.

Patients: A total of 3,668 patients requiring intensive care unit admission were prospectively evaluated during three consecutive time periods.

Interventions: During each time period, one antibiotic class was selected for the empirical treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections as follows: time period 1 (baseline period) (1,323 patients), ceftazidime; time period 2 (1,243 patients), ciprofloxacin; and time period 3 (1,102 patients), cefepime.

Measurements and main results: The overall administration of inadequate antimicrobial treatment for nosocomial infections decreased during the course of the study (6.1%, 4.7%, and 4.5%; p = .15). This was primarily because of a statistically significant decrease in the administration of inadequate antibiotic treatment for Gram-negative bacterial infections (4.4%, 2.1%, and 1.6%; p < .001). There were no statistically significant differences in the overall hospital mortality rate among the three time periods (15.6%, 16.4%, and 16.2%; p = .828) despite a significant increase in severity of illness as measured with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores (15.3 +/- 7.6, 15.7 +/- 8.0, and 20.7 +/- 8.6; p < .001). The hospital mortality rate decreased significantly during time period 3 (20.6%) compared with time period 1 (28.4%; p < .001) and time period 2 (29.5%; p < .001) for patients with an APACHE II score > or = 15.

Conclusions: These data suggest that scheduled changes of antibiotic classes for the empirical treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections can reduce the occurrence of inadequate antibiotic treatment for nosocomial infections. Reducing inadequate antibiotic administration may improve the outcomes of critically ill patients with APACHE II scores > or = 15.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • APACHE
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / classification
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Critical Illness
  • Cross Infection / drug therapy*
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / microbiology*
  • Drug Utilization Review
  • Empiricism
  • Female
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / epidemiology
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Hospitals, Teaching
  • Humans
  • Infection Control / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Missouri / epidemiology
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care
  • Patient Selection*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents