Application of new indicators to assess the quality of antimicrobial use in intensive care units.

This study explored the feasibility of a bundle of indicators aimed at assessing the quality of antimicrobial use in intensive care units (ICUs) through an observational prospective study spanning 12 quarters (January 2019-December 2021) in a 1290-bed teaching hospital in Spain. Members of the antimicrobial stewardship programme team selected the indicators to analyse the quality of antimicrobial use based on consumption data from a list proposed in a previous study. Antimicrobial use in the ICU was measured as defined daily dose (DDD) per 100 occupied bed-days. Trends and points of change were analysed with segmented regression. The intravenous macrolides/intravenous respiratory fluoroquinolones ratio in the ICU increased progressively, although not significantly, by 11.14% per quarter, likely related to prioritization of the use of macrolides in serious community-acquired pneumonia and the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. A remarkable upward trend of 2.5% per quarter was detected in the anti-methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus/anti-methicillin-resistant S. aureus agents ratio in the ICU, which could be explained by the low prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus at the study centre. Patterns of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid/piperacillin-tazobactam ratio and diversification of anti-pseudomonal beta-lactams showed an increment in use over the study. The use of these novel indicators provides additional information for the current analysis of DDD. Implementation is feasible, and led to the detection of patterns that agree with local guidelines and cumulative antibiogram reports, and foster targeted improvement actions within antimicrobial stewardship programmes.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Antimicrobial Consumption and Hospital-Acquired Candidemia and Multidrug-Resistant Bloodstream Infections.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship strategies has been recommended. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care Spanish hospital with an active ongoing antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP). For a 20-week period, we weekly assessed antimicrobial consumption, incidence density, and crude death rate per 1000 occupied bed days of candidemia and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial bloodstream infections (BSI). We conducted a segmented regression analysis of time series. Antimicrobial consumption increased +3.5% per week (p = 0.016) for six weeks after the national lockdown, followed by a sustained weekly reduction of -6.4% (p = 0.001). The global trend for the whole period was stable. The frequency of empirical treatment of patients with COVID-19 was 33.7%. No change in the global trend of incidence of hospital-acquired candidemia and MDR bacterial BSI was observed (+0.5% weekly; p = 0.816), nor differences in 14 and 30-day crude death rates (p = 0.653 and p = 0.732, respectively). Our work provides quantitative data about the pandemic effect on antimicrobial consumption and clinical outcomes in a centre with an active ongoing institutional and education-based ASP. However, assessing the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial resistance is required.

Kidney transplantation from donors after uncontrolled circulatory death: the Spanish experience.

Donation after uncontrolled circulatory death (uDCD) refers to donation from persons who have died following cardiac arrest and unsuccessful attempt at resuscitation. We report the Spanish experience of uDCD kidney transplantation, and identify factors related to short-term post-transplant outcomes. The Spanish CORE system compiles data on all donation and transplant procedures in the country. Between 2012-2015, 517 kidney transplants from 288 uDCD donors were performed. The incidence of primary non-function was 10%, and the incidence of delayed graft function was 76%. One-year death-censored graft survival was 87%. In a Cox-Model, donor age ≥ 60 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-6.1), in situ cooling of kidneys versus normothermic regional perfusion (OR 5.6; 95% CI 2.7-11.5) or hypothermic regional perfusion based on the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation devices (OR 4.3; 95% CI 2.1-8.6), and a recipient history of prior kidney transplant (OR 3.5; 95% CI 1.5-8.3) all significantly increased the risk of graft loss during the first year after transplantation. Kidney transplantation from uDCD donors provides acceptable 1-year outcomes, although there is room for improvement. Hypothermic and normothermic regional perfusion strategies are preferable to in situ cooling of kidneys from uDCD donors.

Long-Term Impact of an Educational Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Hospital-Acquired Candidemia and Multidrug-Resistant Bloodstream Infections: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The global crisis of bacterial resistance urges the scientific community to implement intervention programs in healthcare facilities to promote an appropriate use of antibiotics. However, the clinical benefits or the impact on resistance of these interventions has not been definitively proved. METHODS: We designed a quasi-experimental intervention study with an interrupted time-series analysis. A multidisciplinary team conducted a multifaceted educational intervention in our tertiary-care hospital over a 5-year period. The main activity of the program consisted of peer-to-peer educational interviews between counselors and prescribers from all departments to reinforce the principles of the proper use of antibiotics. We assessed antibiotic consumption, incidence density of Candida and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria bloodstream infections (BSIs) and their crude death rate per 1000 occupied bed days (OBDs). RESULTS: A quick and intense reduction in antibiotic consumption occurred 6 months after the implementation of the intervention (change in level, -216.8 defined daily doses per 1000 OBDs; 95% confidence interval, -347.5 to -86.1), and was sustained during subsequent years (average reduction, -19,9%). In addition, the increasing trend observed in the preintervention period for the incidence density of candidemia and MDR BSI (+0.018 cases per 1000 OBDs per quarter; 95% confidence interval, -.003 to .039) reverted toward a decreasing trend of -0.130 per quarter (change in slope, -0.029; -.051 to -.008), and so did the mortality rate (change in slope, -0.015; -.021 to -.008). CONCLUSIONS: This education-based antimicrobial stewardship program was effective in decreasing the incidence and mortality rate of hospital-acquired candidemia and MDR BSI through sustained reduction in antibiotic use.