Patient Factors Associated with Pharmaceutical Interventions for Inpatients at a Brazilian Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical interventions aim to correct or prevent a drug-related problem (DRP) that might lead to negative clinical consequences and increase health care costs. OBJECTIVE: To identify variables associated with the provision of pharmaceutical interventions by clinical pharmacists during hospitalization. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, adult inpatients of the medical ward of the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil, were followed from admission to discharge. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between occurrence of at least 1 pharmaceutical intervention and the following baseline characteristics: sex, age, Charlson comorbidity index, renal failure, electrolyte imbalance, hemoglobin, platelet count, and use of a nasoenteric tube, as well as the number, second-level Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) code, and administration route of prescribed medications. RESULTS: A total of 148 patients were included in the study, of whom 75 (50.7%) were men. The mean age was 62.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 59.9-65.8) years, and the mean length of the hospital stay was 10.7 (95% CI 8.4-13.1) days. Analgesics (ATC code N02), the most common type of medication, were prescribed to 144 (97.3%) of the patients. Pharmaceutical interventions were performed for only 49 (33.1%) of the patients. One out of every 4 of these interventions was intended to obtain information not provided in the prescription, to allow the prescription to be completed and dispensing to proceed. According to the multivariate analysis, the odds ratio (OR) of occurrence of at least 1 pharmaceutical intervention increased for patients with electrolyte imbalance (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.09-6.63; p = 0.033), patients using 5 to 8 medications (OR 8.73, 95% CI 1.07-71.36; p = 0.043), patients using 9 or more medications (OR 10.39, 95% CI 1.28-84.05; p = 0.028), and patients using at least 1 systemic antibacterial (ATC code J01; OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.30-5.84; p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study could allow the identification, at the time of admission and possibly before the occurrence of a DRP, of patients at higher risk of requiring a pharmaceutical intervention later during their hospital stay. To optimize patient care, clinical pharmacists should closely follow inpatients with electrolyte imbalance, polypharmacy, and/or use of systemic antibacterials.

CONTEXTE: Les interventions pharmaceutiques visent à corriger ou à prévenir un problème lié aux drogues (PLD), qui pourrait entraîner des conséquences cliniques négatives et accroître les coûts des soins de santé. OBJECTIF: Déterminer les variables associées aux interventions pharmaceutiques des pharmaciens cliniques lors d'une hospitalisation. MÉTHODES: Dans cette étude de cohorte rétrospective, les patients adultes hospitalisés au Service de médecine de l'Hôpital universitaire de São Paulo au Brésil ont été suivis dès leur admission et jusqu'à leur sortie. Des modèles de régression logistique ont été utilisés pour évaluer l'association entre au moins une intervention pharmaceutique et les caractéristiques de base suivantes : sexe, âge, indice de comorbidité de Charlson, insuffisance rénale, déséquilibre électrolytique, hémoglobine, numération plaquettaire et utilisation d'un tube nasoentérique, et l'ensemble du groupe a subi une évaluation selon le nombre de médicaments prescrits au deuxième niveau des classifications du Système de classification anatomique thérapeutique chimique (ATC) et leur voie d'administration. RÉSULTATS: Cent-quarante-huit (148) patients ont été inclus dans cette étude; 75 d'entre eux (50,7 %) étaient des hommes. L'âge moyen était de 62,8 ans (95 % intervalle de confiance [IC] 59,9 ­ 65,8), et la durée moyenne du séjour à l'hôpital était de 10,7 jours (95 % IC 8,4 ­ 13,1). Des analgésiques (code ATC N02), type de médicament le plus répandu, ont été prescrits à 144 patients (97,3 %). Seuls 49 patients (33,1 %) ont fait l'objet d'une intervention pharmaceutique. Une de ces interventions sur quatre avait pour but d'obtenir des informations absentes dans la prescription mais indispensables à l'obtention de la validation de la prescription et de l'autorisation de distribution des médicaments. Selon l'analyse multivariée, le rapport de cotes (RC) de la nécessité d'au moins une intervention pharmaceutique augmentait pour les patients ayant un déséquilibre électrolytique (RC 2,68, 95 % IC 1,09 ­ 6,63; p = 0,033), les patients prenant entre cinq et huit médicaments (RC 8,73, 95 % IC 1,07 ­ 71,36; p = 0,043), les patients prenant au moins neuf médicaments (RC 10,39, 95 % IC 1,28 ­ 84,05; p = 0,028) et ceux utilisant au moins un antibactérien systémique (code ATC J01; RC 2,76, 95 % IC 1,30­5,84; p = 0,008). CONCLUSIONS: Les résultats de cette étude pourraient permettre d'identifier, à l'admission à l'hôpital et probablement avant l'apparition d'un PLD, les patients présentant des risques plus élevés, qui pourraient nécessiter une intervention pharmaceutique plus tard lors de leur séjour. Pour optimiser les soins aux patients, les pharmaciens cliniques doivent suivre étroitement les patients hospitalisés ayant un déséquilibre électrolytique, ceux qui nécessitent une polypharmacie et ceux qui utilisent des antibactériens systémiques.

Gram-negative osteomyelitis: clinical and microbiological profile.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the growing interest in the study of Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) infections, very little information on osteomyelitis caused by GNB is available in the medical literature. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To assess clinical and microbiological features of 101 cases of osteomyelitis caused by GNB alone, between January 2007 and January 2009, in a reference center for the treatment of high complexity traumas in the city of São Paulo. RESULTS: Most patients were men (63%), with median age of 42 years, affected by chronic osteomyelitis (43%) or acute osteomyelitis associated to open fractures (32%), the majority on the lower limbs (71%). The patients were treated with antibiotics as inpatients for 40 days (median) and for 99 days (median) in outpatient settings. After 6 months follow-up, the clinical remission rate was around 60%, relapse 19%, amputation 7%, and death 5%. Nine percent of cases were lost to follow-up. A total of 121 GNB was isolated from 101 clinical samples. The most frequently isolated pathogens were Enterobacter sp. (25%), Acinetobacter baumannii (21%) e Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%). Susceptibility to carbapenems was about 100% for Enterobacter sp., 75% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 60% for Acinetobacter baumannii. CONCLUSION: Osteomyelitis caused by GNB remains a serious therapeutic challenge, especially when associated to nonfermenting bacteria. We emphasize the need to consider these agents in diagnosed cases of osteomyelitis, so that an ideal antimicrobial treatment can be administered since the very beginning of the therapy.

Gram-negative osteomyelitis: clinical and microbiological profile

INTRODUCTION: Despite the growing interest in the study of Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) infections, very little information on osteomyelitis caused by GNB is available in the medical literature. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: To assess clinical and microbiological features of 101 cases of osteomyelitis caused by GNB alone, between January 2007 and January 2009, in a reference center for the treatment of high complexity traumas in the city of São Paulo. RESULTS: Most patients were men (63 percent), with median age of 42 years, affected by chronic osteomyelitis (43 percent) or acute osteomyelitis associated to open fractures (32 percent), the majority on the lower limbs (71 percent). The patients were treated with antibiotics as inpatients for 40 days (median) and for 99 days (median) in outpatient settings. After 6 months follow-up, the clinical remission rate was around 60 percent, relapse 19 percent, amputation 7 percent, and death 5 percent. Nine percent of cases were lost to follow-up. A total of 121 GNB was isolated from 101 clinical samples. The most frequently isolated pathogens were Enterobacter sp. (25 percent), Acinetobacter baumannii (21 percent) e Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20 percent). Susceptibility to carbapenems was about 100 percent for Enterobacter sp., 75 percent for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 60 percent for Acinetobacter baumannii. CONCLUSION: Osteomyelitis caused by GNB remains a serious therapeutic challenge, especially when associated to nonfermenting bacteria. We emphasize the need to consider these agents in diagnosed cases of osteomyelitis, so that an ideal antimicrobial treatment can be administered since the very beginning of the therapy.

Impact of restriction of cefepime use on the antimicrobial susceptibility of Gram-negative bacilli related to healthcare-associated infections in an orthopedic hospital.

INTRODUCTION: In recent decades, antimicrobial resistance has become a public health problem, particularly in cases of healthcare-associated infections. Interaction between antibiotic consumption and resistance development is of particular interest regarding Gram-negative bacilli, whose growing resistance has represented a great challenge. OBJECTIVE: Assess the impact of restriction of cefepime use on antimicrobial susceptibility among the Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) most frequently involved in healthcare-associated infections (HAI). METHODS: DATA RELATING TO HOSPITAL OCCUPANCY AND MORTALITY RATES, INCIDENCE OF HAI, INCIDENCE OF GNB AS CAUSATIVE AGENTS OF HAI, ANTIMICROBIAL CONSUMPTION AT THE HOSPITAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF GNB RELATED TO HAI WERE COMPARED BETWEEN TWO PERIODS: a 24-month period preceding restriction of cefepime use and a 24-month period subsequent to this restriction. RESULTS: There was a significant drop in cefepime consumption after its restriction. Susceptibility of Acinetobacter baumanii improved relating to gentamicin, but it worsened in relation to imipenem, subsequent to this restriction. For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, there was no change in antimicrobial susceptibility. For Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter spp, there were improvements in susceptibility relating to ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION: Restriction of cefepime use had a positive impact on K. pneumoniae and Enterobacter spp, given that after this restriction, their susceptibilities to ciprofloxacin improved. However, for A. baumanii, the impact was negative, given the worsening of susceptibility to imipenem.

Carbapenem stewardship: positive impact on hospital ecology.

INTRODUCTION: Excessive group 2 carbapenem use may result in decreased bacterial susceptibility. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the impact of a carbapenem stewardship program, restricting imipenem and meropenem use. METHODS: Ertapenem was mandated for ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae infections in the absence of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) from April 2006 to March 2008. Group 2 carbapenems were restricted for use against GNB infections susceptible only to carbapenems and suspected GNB infections in unstable patients. Cumulative susceptibility tests were done for nosocomial pathogens before and after restriction using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guide-lines.Vitek System or conventional identification methods were performed and susceptibility testing done by disk diffusion according to CLSI.Antibiotic consumption (t-test) and susceptibilities (McNemar's test) were determined. RESULTS: The defined daily doses (DDD) of group 2 carbapenems declined from 61.1 to 48.7 DDD/1,000 patient-days two years after ertapenem introduction (p = 0.027). Mean ertapenem consumption after restriction was 31.5 DDD/1,000 patient-days. Following ertapenem introduction no significant susceptibility changes were noticed among Gram-positive cocci. The most prevalent GNB were P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter spp. There was no change in P. aeruginosa susceptibility to carbapenems. Significantly improved P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae ciprofloxacin susceptibilities were observed, perhaps due to decreased group 2 carbapenem use. K. pneumoniae susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole improved. CONCLUSION: Preferential use of ertapenem resulted in reduced group 2 carbapenem use, with a positive impact on P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae susceptibility.

Carbapenem stewardship: positive impact on hospital ecology

INTRODUCTION: Excessive group 2 carbapenem use may result in decreased bacterial susceptibility. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the impact of a carbapenem stewardship program, restricting imipenem and meropenem use. METHODS: Ertapenem was mandated for ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae infections in the absence of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) from April 2006 to March 2008. Group 2 carbapenems were restricted for use against GNB infections susceptible only to carbapenems and suspected GNB infections in unstable patients. Cumulative susceptibility tests were done for nosocomial pathogens before and after restriction using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guide-lines.Vitek System or conventional identification methods were performed and susceptibility testing done by disk diffusion according to CLSI.Antibiotic consumption (t-test) and susceptibilities (McNemar's test) were determined. RESULTS: The defined daily doses (DDD) of group 2 carbapenems declined from 61.1 to 48.7 DDD/1,000 patient-days two years after ertapenem introduction (p = 0.027). Mean ertapenem consumption after restriction was 31.5 DDD/1,000 patient-days. Following ertapenem introduction no significant susceptibility changes were noticed among Gram-positive cocci. The most prevalent GNB were P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter spp. There was no change in P. aeruginosa susceptibility to carbapenems. Significantly improved P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae ciprofloxacin susceptibilities were observed, perhaps due to decreased group 2 carbapenem use. K. pneumoniae susceptibility to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole improved. CONCLUSION: Preferential use of ertapenem resulted in reduced group 2 carbapenem use, with a positive impact on P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae susceptibility.

Economic impact of treatment for surgical site infections in cases of total knee arthroplasty in a tertiary public hospital in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to estimate the additional cost of treatment of a group of nosocomial infections in a tertiary public hospital. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted by means of analyzing the medical records of 34 patients with infection after total knee arthroplasty, diagnosed in 2006 and 2007, who met the criteria for nosocomial infection according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To estimate the direct costs of treatment for these patients, the following data were gathered: length of hospital stay, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, and surgical procedures performed. Their costs were estimated from the minimum values according to the Brazilian Medical Association. The estimated cost of the antibiotics used was also obtained. The total length of stay in the ward was 976 days, at a cost of US$ 18,994.63, and, in the intensive care unit, it was 34 days at a cost of US$ 5,031.37. Forty-two debridement procedures were performed, at a cost of US$ 5,798.06, and 1965 tests (laboratory and imaging) were also performed, at a cost of US$ 15,359.25. US$ 20,845.01 was spent on antibiotics and US$ 1,735.16 on vacuum assisted closure therapy, microsurgical flaps, implant removal, spacer use, and surgical revision. The total additional cost of these cases of hospital infection in 2006 and 2007 was of US$ 91,843.75. Based on that, we demonstrate that the high cost of treatment for hospital infections emphasizes the importance of taking measures to prevent and control hospital infection.

Economic impact of treatment for surgical site infections in cases of total knee arthroplasty in a tertiary public hospital in Brazil

The aim of this study was to estimate the additional cost of treatment of a group of nosocomial infections in a tertiary public hospital. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted by means of analyzing the medical records of 34 patients with infection after total knee arthroplasty, diagnosed in 2006 and 2007, who met the criteria for nosocomial infection according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To estimate the direct costs of treatment for these patients, the following data were gathered: length of hospital stay, laboratory tests, imaging examinations, and surgical procedures performed. Their costs were estimated from the minimum values according to the Brazilian Medical Association. The estimated cost of the antibiotics used was also obtained. The total length of stay in the ward was 976 days, at a cost of US$ 18,994.63, and, in the intensive care unit, it was 34 days at a cost of US$ 5,031.37. Forty-two debridement procedures were performed, at a cost of US$ 5,798.06, and 1965 tests (laboratory and imaging) were also performed, at a cost of US$ 15,359.25. US$ 20,845.01 was spent on antibiotics and US$ 1,735.16 on vacuum assisted closure therapy, microsurgical flaps, implant removal, spacer use, and surgical revision. The total additional cost of these cases of hospital infection in 2006 and 2007 was of US$ 91,843.75. Based on that, we demonstrate that the high cost of treatment for hospital infections emphasizes the importance of taking measures to prevent and control hospital infection.

The impact of ertapenem use on the susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem: a hospital case study.

We sought to evaluate the indirect impact of ertapenem use for the treatment of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae infections in our hospital on the susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to imipenem. The use of ertapenem was mandated for treatment of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae infections in the absence of nonfermenting gram-negative bacilli for 1 year. The use of imipenem was restricted. Imipenem consumption decreased 64.5%. Ertapenem consumption was 42.57 defined daily doses per 1,000 patient-days. None of the 18 P. aeruginosa isolates recovered after ertapenem introduction were imipenem-resistant, compared with 4 of the 20 P. aeruginosa isolates recovered in the previous year.

Inibidores da bomba protônica / Proton pump inhibitors

Os estudos sobre o efeito do controle do ácido gástrico iniciaram-se há mais de 30 anos. Desde então, inúmeros ensaios clínicos bem conduzidos e metanálises mostraram que os inibidores da bomba protônica (IBP) são significativamente mais efetivos que antagonistas dos receptores H2 da histamina para a realização da supressão ácida gástrica. A secreção ácida nas células parietais do estômago cria um fluxo de íons, em que prótons são bombeados de fluidos intracelulares para o lúmen gástrico contra um gradiente. A engenharia enzimática responsável por esse transporte ativo é a bomba H+,K+ ATPase, a qual é modulada (estimulação e inibição) por sinais moleculares neuronais e endócrinos. Os IBP, após a ingestão antes da alimentação, ligam-se apenas às bombas ativadas. São metabolizados pelo complexo enzimático do citocromo P450, CYP 2C19 e CYP 3A4, esta característica contribui para interações medicamentosas com outros fármacos que também possuem o mesmo mecanismo de metabolização. Os IBP, geralmente, são bem tolerados pelo organismo. Até o momento, estudos descreveram que as reações adversas mais comuns relatadas são: dor de cabeça, diarréia e náusea, com incidência de < 10%, valores semelhantes quando comparados com placebo e antagonistas dos receptores H2. A terapia de supressão ácida com IBP está associada a benefícios no manejo de doenças ácido-pépticas. O sucesso desta supressão farmacológica para o processo de cicatrização de úlcera e DRGE está refletindo-se na redução de cirurgias eletivas como tratamento destas enfermidades, além da redução da gastropatia associada à utilização de AINEs.