scholarly journals Outpatient Antibiotic Prescription Trends in the United States: A National Cohort Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 584-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Durkin ◽  
S. Reza Jafarzadeh ◽  
Kevin Hsueh ◽  
Ya Haddy Sallah ◽  
Kiraat D. Munshi ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVETo characterize trends in outpatient antibiotic prescriptions in the United StatesDESIGNRetrospective ecological and temporal trend study evaluating outpatient antibiotic prescriptions from 2013 to 2015SETTINGNational administrative claims data from a pharmacy benefits manager PARTICIPANTS. Prescription pharmacy beneficiaries from Express Scripts Holding CompanyMEASUREMENTSAnnual and seasonal percent change in antibiotic prescriptionsRESULTSApproximately 98 million outpatient antibiotic prescriptions were filled by 39 million insurance beneficiaries during the 3-year study period. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were azithromycin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, ciprofloxacin, and cephalexin. No significant changes in individual or overall annual antibiotic prescribing rates were found during the study period. Significant seasonal variation was observed, with antibiotics being 42% more likely to be prescribed during February than September (peak-to-trough ratio [PTTR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39–1.61). Similar seasonal trends were found for azithromycin (PTTR, 2.46; 95% CI, 2.44–3.47), amoxicillin (PTTR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.42–1.89), and amoxicillin/clavulanate (PTTR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.68–2.29).CONCLUSIONSThis study demonstrates that annual national outpatient antibiotic prescribing practices remained unchanged during our study period. Furthermore, seasonal peaks in antibiotics generally used to treat viral upper respiratory tract infections remained unchanged during cold and influenza season. These results suggest that inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics remains widespread, despite the concurrent release of several guideline-based best practices intended to reduce inappropriate antibiotic consumption; however, further research linking national outpatient antibiotic prescriptions to associated medical conditions is needed to confirm these findings.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2018;39:584–589

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. e226-e234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison C Tribble ◽  
Brian R Lee ◽  
Kelly B Flett ◽  
Lori K Handy ◽  
Jeffrey S Gerber ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Studies estimate that 30%–50% of antibiotics prescribed for hospitalized patients are inappropriate, but pediatric data are limited. Characterization of inappropriate prescribing practices for children is needed to guide pediatric antimicrobial stewardship. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of antibiotic prescribing at 32 children’s hospitals in the United States. Subjects included hospitalized children with ≥ 1 antibiotic order at 8:00 am on 1 day per calendar quarter, over 6 quarters (quarter 3 2016–quarter 4 2017). Antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) physicians and/or pharmacists used a standardized survey to collect data on antibiotic orders and evaluate appropriateness. The primary outcome was the percentage of antibiotics prescribed for infectious use that were classified as suboptimal, defined as inappropriate or needing modification. Results Of 34 927 children hospitalized on survey days, 12 213 (35.0%) had ≥ 1 active antibiotic order. Among 11 784 patients receiving antibiotics for infectious use, 25.9% were prescribed ≥ 1 suboptimal antibiotic. Of the 17 110 antibiotic orders prescribed for infectious use, 21.0% were considered suboptimal. Most common reasons for inappropriate use were bug–drug mismatch (27.7%), surgical prophylaxis > 24 hours (17.7%), overly broad empiric therapy (11.2%), and unnecessary treatment (11.0%). The majority of recommended modifications were to stop (44.7%) or narrow (19.7%) the drug. ASPs would not have routinely reviewed 46.1% of suboptimal orders. Conclusions Across 32 children’s hospitals, approximately 1 in 3 hospitalized children are receiving 1 or more antibiotics at any given time. One-quarter of these children are receiving suboptimal therapy, and nearly half of suboptimal use is not captured by current ASP practices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S826-S827
Author(s):  
Leigh Ellyn Preston ◽  
Clifford McDonald ◽  
Babatunde Olubajo ◽  
Natalie McCarthy ◽  
Sujan Reddy ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Community-onset urinary tract infections (coUTIs) are one of the most common indications for antibiotic prescribing. It is important to understand patient demographic factors associated with microorganisms causing coUTI and their antibiotic resistance profiles, to tailor antibiotic prescribing practices. We analyzed microbiology data to understand factors associated with coUTI in the United States (US). Methods CoUTIs were identified in the Premier Healthcare Database and Cerner Health Facts among patients treated at participating healthcare facilities in the US between 2012-2017. Cases were defined by urine cultures yielding a bacterial organism and were collected in outpatient settings or within three days of hospitalization. Only the first specimen for each encounter was included in the analysis. Data on the organisms isolated, patient’s age, sex, and US census regions of the submitting facilities were described and compared using chi-square tests for associations. Encounters were classified as inpatient (INPT), observation (OBS), emergency department (ED), and outpatient (OTPT) based on the setting in which the culture was submitted. Results Using data from 637 acute care hospitals, urine samples from 3,291,561 encounters were included, with 776,653 (25.7%) INPT, 1,063,219 (34.8%) ED, 107,760 (3.5%) OBS, and 1,092,658 (35.8%) OTPT. The pathogens most frequently associated with coUTIs were Escherichia coli (57.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.7%), Enterococcus faecalis (5.1%), Proteus mirabilis (4.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.9%). Female sex, age < 65y and OTPT and ED settings were associated with higher relative frequency of E. coli (all p < 0.0001). Male sex, INPT setting and age >65 y were associated with higher relative frequency of P. aeruginosa, P. mirabilis and E. faecalis (all p < 0.0001, Figure). K. pneumoniae was found at higher relative frequency in those >45y, and in INPT and OBS settings (all p < 0.0001). Figure. Distribution of pathogens most frequently associated with community onset urinary tract infections Conclusion Understanding patient factors associated with the microbiology of coUTIs is an important step in developing treatment recommendations and antibiotic stewardship efforts. Further analyses will include assessing the impact of major antibiotic resistance phenotypes, geographic and healthcare settings. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S700-S700
Author(s):  
Kristen Johnson ◽  
Kayla Burns ◽  
Lisa Dumkow ◽  
Megan Yee ◽  
Nnaemeka Egwuatu

Abstract Background The majority of antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting result from upper respiratory tract infections; however, these infections are often viral. Virtual visits (VV) have emerged as a popular alternative to office visits (OV) for sinusitis complaints and are an important area for stewardship programs to target for intervention. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted utilizing the outpatient electronic medical record for Mercy Health Physician Partners (MHPP) and Zipnosis database for VV to compare diagnosis and prescribing between OV and VV for sinusitis. VV consisted of an online questionnaire for patients to complete, which was then sent to a provider to evaluate electronically without face-to-face interaction. Adult patients were included with a diagnosis code for sinusitis during the 6-month study period from January to June 2018. The primary objective was to compare rates of appropriate diagnosis of viral vs. bacterial sinusitis between OV and VV, based on national guideline recommendations. Secondary objectives were to compare the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing and supportive therapy prescribing between OV and VV, as well as 24-hour, 7-day and 30-day re-visits. Results A total of 350 patients were included in the study (OV n = 175, VV n = 175). Appropriate diagnosis per national guidelines was 45.7% in OV compared with 69.1% in the VV group (P < 0.001). Additionally, patients that completed VV were less likely to receive antibiotic prescriptions (OV 94.3%, VV 68.6%, P < 0.001). Guideline-concordant antibiotic prescribing was similar between groups (OV 60.6%, VV 58.3%, P = 0.70) and both visit types had a median duration of treatment of 10 days (P = 0.88). Patients that completed VV were more likely to re-visit for sinusitis within 24 hours (OV 1.7%, VV 8%, P = 0.006) and within 30-days (OV 7.4%, VV 14.9%, P = 0.027). In multivariate logistic regression the only factor independently associated with 24-hour re-visit was patient self-request for antibiotics (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.06–0.68). Conclusion Appropriate diagnosis of sinusitis was more likely in the VV group, which shows that VV provides a good platform to target outpatient antimicrobial prescribing. These findings support opportunities for antimicrobial stewardship intervention in both OV and VV. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (667) ◽  
pp. e90-e96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Rose Williams ◽  
Giles Greene ◽  
Gurudutt Naik ◽  
Kathryn Hughes ◽  
Christopher C Butler ◽  
...  

BackgroundOveruse and inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics is driving antibiotic resistance. GPs often prescribe antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in young children despite their marginal beneficial effects.AimTo assess the quality of antibiotic prescribing for common infections in young children attending primary care and to investigate influencing factors.Design and settingAn observational, descriptive analysis, including children attending primary care sites in England and Wales.MethodThe Diagnosis of Urinary Tract infection in Young children study collected data on 7163 children aged <5 years, presenting to UK primary care with an acute illness (<28 days). Data were compared with the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net) disease-specific quality indicators to assess prescribing for URTIs, tonsillitis, and otitis media, against ESAC-Net proposed standards. Non-parametric trend tests and χ2tests assessed trends and differences in prescribing by level of deprivation, site type, and demographics.ResultsPrescribing rates fell within the recommendations for URTIs but exceeded the recommended limits for tonsillitis and otitis media. The proportion of children receiving the recommended antibiotic was below standards for URTIs and tonsillitis, but within the recommended limits for otitis media. Prescribing rates increased as the level of deprivation decreased for all infections (P<0.05), and increased as the age of the child increased for URTIs and tonsillitis (P<0.05). There were no other significant trends or differences.ConclusionThe quality of antibiotic prescribing in this study was mixed and highlights the scope for future improvements. There is a need to assess further the quality of disease-specific antibiotic prescribing in UK primary care settings using data representative of routine clinical practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (21) ◽  
pp. 1753-1761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredrick O’Neal ◽  
Joan Kramer ◽  
Mandelin Cooper ◽  
Edward Septimus ◽  
Sanya Sharma ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose To assess antibiotic selection, administration, and prescribing practices in emergency departments across a large hospital system using evidence-based practices and susceptibility patterns. Methods This retrospective data review was conducted using health system–level electronic data compiled from 145 emergency departments (EDs) across the United States. Data were examined for national generalizability, most common diagnoses of infectious origin seen in nonadmitted patients in the ED, most commonly administered antibiotics in the ED, and geographically defined areas’ unique patterns of antibiotic resistance and susceptibility. Results More than 627,000 unique patient encounters and 780,000 antibiotic administrations were assessed for trends in patient demographics, antibiotics administered for a diagnosis of infectious origin, and corresponding susceptibility patterns. Results indicated that practices in the EDs of this health system aligned with evidence-based practices for streptococcal pharyngitis, otitis media, cellulitis, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Conclusion These results provide a representative sample of the current state of practices within many EDs across the United States for nonadmitted patients. A similar data reconstruction can be completed by other health systems to assess their prescribing practices in the ED to improve and elevate care for patients visiting the emergency room and treated as outpatients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna J Buehrle ◽  
M Hong Nguyen ◽  
Marilyn M Wagener ◽  
Cornelius J Clancy

Abstract In April 2020, there were significant reductions in prescription fills of each of the 10 most prescribed outpatient antibiotics in the United States. Monthly azithromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and levofloxacin fills did not rebound significantly from April through July 2020. Coronavirus disease 2019 had an immediate and sustained impact on US outpatient antibiotic prescribing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S112-S112
Author(s):  
Leanne Teoh ◽  
Wendy Thompson ◽  
Colin Hubbard ◽  
David M Patrick ◽  
Fawziah Marra ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Antibiotic resistance is recognised as a major public health burden. Dentists overprescribe antibiotics and prescribe for unnecessary indications. Tracking and investigating prescribing practices by healthcare professionals provides insights needed to inform targeted antibiotic stewardship interventions. It is unclear how dental antibiotic prescribing patterns differs between countries. The aim of this study was to compare antibiotic prescribing by dentists in Australia, England the United States (US) and British Columbia (BC). Methods This was a cross-sectional study of dispensed dental antibiotic prescriptions between January 1 and December 31, 2017, from Australia, England, US and BC. Dispensed dental antibiotic prescriptions included those from outpatient pharmacies and healthcare settings. Outcome measures included the proportion of dental antibiotic prescriptions by location and prescribing rates by population. Results English dentists prescribed 1.6 times more antibiotics than those in Australia, and dentists in BC and US prescribed around twice more than Australian dentists. (Australia: 33.2 prescriptions/1000population; England: 53.5 prescriptions/1000population; US: 72.6 prescriptions/1000 population; BC: 65.0 prescriptions/1000 population). The types of antibiotics prescribed were similar across all countries, where penicillins were the predominant class prescribed (66.8–80.5% of antibiotic prescriptions). US dentists and dentists in BC prescribed more clindamycin compared to the dentists in other countries. Conclusion Dentists in the US, England and BC prescribed at relatively higher rates than Australian dentists. The findings from this study should initiate an evaluation by dentists of their prescribing practices and responsibilities regarding their contribution towards antibiotic resistance. Further investigations can be aimed at determining country-specific factors that influence dental antibiotic prescription. Disclosures Leanne Teoh, BDSc(Hons) BPharm(Hons), Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (Other Financial or Material Support, Scholarship awarded for the PhD candidature)


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