scholarly journals The Penicillin Allergy Delabeling Program: A Multicenter Whole-of-Hospital Health Services Intervention and Comparative Effectiveness Study

Author(s):  
Kyra Y L Chua ◽  
Sara Vogrin ◽  
Susan Bury ◽  
Abby Douglas ◽  
Natasha E Holmes ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Penicillin allergies are associated with inferior patient and antimicrobial stewardship outcomes. We implemented a whole-of-hospital program to assess the efficacy of inpatient delabeling for low-risk penicillin allergies in hospitalized inpatients. Methods Patients ≥ 18 years of age with a low-risk penicillin allergy were offered a single-dose oral penicillin challenge or direct label removal based on history (direct delabeling). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients delabeled. Key secondary endpoints were antibiotic utilization pre- (index admission) and post-delabeling (index admission and 90 days). Results Between 21 January 2019 and 31 August 2019, we assessed 1791 patients reporting 2315 antibiotic allergies, 1225 with a penicillin allergy. Three hundred fifty-five patients were delabeled: 161 by direct delabeling and 194 via oral penicillin challenge. Ninety-seven percent (194/200) of patients were negative upon oral penicillin challenge. In the delabeled patients, we observed an increase in narrow-spectrum penicillin usage (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 10.51 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 5.39–20.48]), improved appropriate antibiotic prescribing (adjusted OR, 2.13 [95% CI, 1.45–3.13]), and a reduction in restricted antibiotic usage (adjusted OR, 0.38 [95% CI, .27–.54]). In the propensity score analysis, there was an increase in narrow-spectrum penicillins (OR, 10.89 [95% CI, 5.09–23.31]) and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (OR, 6.68 [95% CI, 3.94–11.35]) and a reduction in restricted antibiotic use (OR, 0.52 [95% CI, .36–.74]) and inappropriate prescriptions (relative risk ratio, 0.43 [95% CI, .26–.72]) in the delabeled group compared with the group who retained their allergy label. Conclusions This health services program using a combination of direct delabeling and oral penicillin challenge resulted in significant impacts on the use of preferred antibiotics and appropriate prescribing.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linde Steenvoorden ◽  
Erik Oeglaend Bjoernestad ◽  
Thor-Agne Kvesetmoen ◽  
Anne Kristine Gulsvik

Abstract Background Penicillin allergy prevalence is internationally reported to be around 10%. However, the majority of patients who report a penicillin allergy do not have a clinically significant hypersensitivity. Few patients undergo evaluation, which leads to overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The objective of this study was to monitor prevalence and implement screening and testing of hospitalized patients. Methods All patients admitted to the medical department in a local hospital in Oslo, Norway, with a self-reported penicillin allergy were screened using an interview algorithm to categorize the reported allergy as high-risk or low-risk. Patients with a history of low-risk allergy underwent a direct graded oral amoxicillin challenge to verify absence of a true IgE-type allergy. Results 257 of 5529 inpatients (4.6%) reported a penicillin allergy. 191 (74%) of these patients underwent screening, of which 86 (45%) had an allergy categorized as low-risk. 54 (63%) of the low-risk patients consented to an oral test. 98% of these did not have an immediate reaction to the amoxicillin challenge, and their penicillin allergy label could thus be removed. 42% of the patients under treatment with antibiotics during inclusion could switch to treatment with penicillins immediately after testing, in line with the national recommendations for antibiotic use. Conclusions The prevalence of self-reported penicillin allergy was lower in this Norwegian population, than reported in other studies. Screening and testing of hospitalized patients with self-reported penicillin allergy is a feasible and easy measure to de-label a large proportion of patients, resulting in immediate clinical and environmental benefit. Our findings suggest that non-allergist physicians can safely undertake clinically impactful allergy evaluations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Hills ◽  
Nicola Arroll ◽  
Eamon Duffy ◽  
Janice Capstick ◽  
Anthony Jordan ◽  
...  

Unverified penicillin allergies are common but most patients with a penicillin allergy label can safely use penicillin antibiotics. Penicillin allergy labels are associated with poor clinical outcomes and overuse of second-line antibiotics. There is increasing focus on penicillin allergy “de-labeling” as a tool to improve antibiotic prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship. The effect of outpatient penicillin allergy de-labeling on long-term antibiotic use is uncertain. We performed a retrospective pre- and post- study of antibiotic dispensing patterns, from an electronic dispensing data repository, in patients undergoing penicillin allergy assessment at Auckland City Hospital, New Zealand. Over a mean follow-up of 4.55 years, 215/304 (70.7%) of de-labeled patients were dispensed a penicillin antibiotic. Rates of penicillin antibiotic dispensing were 0.24 (0.18–0.30) penicillin courses per year before de-labeling and 0.80 (0.67–0.93) following de-labeling with a reduction in total antibiotic use from 2.30 (2.06–2.54) to 1.79 (1.59–1.99) antibiotic courses per year. In de-labeled patients, the proportion of antibiotic courses that were penicillin antibiotics increased from 12.81 to 39.62%. Rates of macrolide, cephalosporin, trimethoprim/co-trimoxazole, fluoroquinolone, “other” non-penicillin antibiotic use, and broad-spectrum antibiotic use were all lower following de-labeling. Further, antibiotic costs were lower following de-labeling. In this study, penicillin allergy de-labeling was associated with significant changes in antibiotic dispensing patterns.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason A Trubiano ◽  
Olivia Smibert ◽  
Abby Douglas ◽  
Misha Devchand ◽  
Belinda Lambros ◽  
...  

Abstract Antibiotic allergies are reported by up to 1 in 4 cancer patients, almost 50% of which are considered low risk and precede the cancer diagnosis. We demonstrate the successful and safe implementation of a pilot oral penicillin challenge program for cancer patients with low-risk penicillin allergies, increasing the use of penicillin and narrow-spectrum beta-lactams post-testing.


Antibiotics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Wanat ◽  
Sibyl Anthierens ◽  
Christopher Butler ◽  
Judy Wright ◽  
Naila Dracup ◽  
...  

About 10% of U.K. patients believe that they are allergic to penicillin and have a “penicillin allergy label” in their primary care health record. However, around 90% of these patients may be mislabelled. Removing incorrect penicillin allergy labels can help to reduce unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotic use. A rapid review was undertaken of papers exploring patient and/or clinician views and experiences of penicillin allergy testing (PAT) services and the influences on antibiotic prescribing behaviour in the context of penicillin allergy. We reviewed English-language publications published up to November 2017. Limited evidence on patients’ experiences of PAT highlighted advantages to testing as well as a number of concerns. Clinicians reported uncertainty about referral criteria for PAT. Following PAT and a negative result, a number of clinicians and patients remained reluctant to prescribe and consume penicillins. This appeared to reflect a lack of confidence in the test result and fear of subsequent reactions to penicillins. The findings suggest lack of awareness and knowledge of PAT services by both clinicians and patients. In order to ensure correct penicillin allergy diagnosis, clinicians and patients need to be supported to use PAT services and equipped with the skills to use penicillins appropriately following a negative allergy test result.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-240
Author(s):  
Johanna Lindell

As antibiotic resistance becomes a growing health emergency, effective strategies are needed to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use. In this article, one such strategy – communicative practices associated with the C-reactive protein point-of care test – is investigated. Building on a collection of 31 videorecorded consultations from Danish primary care, and using conversation analysis, this study finds that the rapid test can be used throughout the consultation to incrementally build the case for a nonantibiotic treatment recommendation, both when the test result is forecast and reported. The study also finds that the format of reports of elevated results differs from that of ‘normal’ results, resulting in a subtle shift of authority from doctor to test.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Ibrahim ◽  
Zeinab Bazzi

Despite the frequent alarms that have been published about the adverse effects of antibiotic use and misuse, physicians prescribe to patients approximately fifty percent of unnecessary antimicrobials. In an attempt to decrease the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and increase awareness, a team approach is required to address this prescribing phenomenon in a feasible manner. A retrospective study was done at a one-hundred-forty-bed hospital with a representative sample size of 368 patients. Patient data was collected and analyzed by a stewardship team. The overall antibiotic inappropriate rate was 45.8%, which is relatively high and consistent with the findings of other studies mentioned in the literature. This study aimed to provide baseline epidemiological data on the use of antibiotics in a Lebanese hospital and has revealed several notable patterns of antibiotic prescribing practices among Lebanese physicians such as the use of antimicrobial drugs example penicillin was consistently high. Strong correlations were identified between the type of attending physician and antibiotic appropriateness. These findings will be important in constructing an antimicrobial stewardship program to reduce antibiotic misuse.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S116-S116
Author(s):  
Julia Sessa ◽  
Helen Jacoby ◽  
Bruce Blain ◽  
Lisa Avery

Abstract Background Measuring antimicrobial consumption data is a foundation of antimicrobial stewardship programs. There is data to support antimicrobial scorecard utilization to improve antibiotic use in the outpatient setting. There is a lack of data on the impact of an antimicrobial scorecard for hospitalists. Our objective was to improve antibiotic prescribing amongst the hospitalist service through the development of an antimicrobial scorecard. Methods Conducted in a 451-bed teaching hospital amongst 22 full time hospitalists. The antimicrobial scorecard for 2019 was distributed in two phases. In October 2019, baseline antibiotic prescribing data (January – September 2019) was distributed. In January 2020, a second scorecard was distributed (October – December 2019) to assess the impact of the scorecard. The scorecard distributed via e-mail to physicians included: Antibiotic days of therapy/1,000 patient care days (corrected for attending census), route of antibiotic prescribing (% intravenous (IV) vs % oral (PO)) and percentage of patients prescribed piperacillin-tazobactam (PT) for greater than 3 days. Hospitalists received their data in rank order amongst their peers. Along with the antimicrobial scorecard, recommendations from the antimicrobial stewardship team were included for hospitalists to improve their antibiotic prescribing for these initiatives. Hospitalists demographics (years of practice and gender) were collected. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze pre and post data. Results Sixteen (16) out of 22 (73%) hospitalists improved their antibiotic prescribing from pre- to post-scorecard (χ 2(1)=3.68, p = 0.055). The median antibiotic days of therapy/1,000 patient care days decreased from 661 pre-scorecard to 618 post-scorecard (p = 0.043). The median PT use greater than 3 days also decreased significantly, from 18% pre-scorecard to 11% post-scorecard (p = 0.0025). There was no change in % of IV antibiotic prescribing and no correlation between years of experience or gender to antibiotic prescribing. Conclusion Providing antimicrobial scorecards to our hospitalist service resulted in a significant decrease in antibiotic days of therapy/1,000 patient care days and PT prescribing beyond 3 days. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S82-S83
Author(s):  
Laura M King ◽  
Lauri Hicks ◽  
Sarah Kabbani; Sharon Tsay ◽  
Katherine E Fleming-Dutra

Abstract Background The objective of our study was to describe oral antibiotic prescriptions associated with procedures in ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) to evaluate if there are major national opportunities to improve antibiotic use in this setting. Methods We identified surgical procedures in ASCs and oral antibiotic prescriptions in the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial 2018 database, a large convenience sample of privately-insured individuals aged < 65 years. We excluded visits with same-day hospitalizations and those with infectious diagnoses that may warrant antibiotic treatment. We included only antibiotic prescriptions dispensed on the same day as an ASC visit. We calculated the number of visits and oral antibiotic prescriptions and the percent of visits with oral antibiotic prescriptions overall, and by patient age group (< 18 and 18–64 years), antibiotic class, and procedure type. We also calculated median antibiotic course length. Across-group comparisons were evaluated using chi-square tests. Results In 2018, 918,127 ASC visits with surgical procedure codes were captured, of which 37,032 (4.0%) were associated with same-day oral antibiotic prescriptions. The percent of visits with antibiotic prescriptions was significantly higher among children compared to adults (9.4% vs 3.8%; p< 0.01); however, adults accounted for 89% of prescriptions. Respiratory/nasal and urinary tract system procedures were most frequently associated with antibiotic prescriptions (Figure). Median course length was 5 (interquartile range 3–7) days. The most common antibiotic class was cephalosporins (49.6% of prescriptions), followed by penicillins (12.6%) and fluoroquinolones (10.9%). Figure. Percent of ambulatory surgery center visits with same-day antibiotic prescriptions by procedure category, IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database, 2018 Conclusion Only 4% of ASC procedures were associated with same-day oral antibiotic prescriptions, suggesting antibiotics are not commonly prescribed in ASCs on the day of surgical procedures. Additionally, the observed 5-day median duration may suggest that some of these courses are intended for treatment rather than prophylaxis. Our estimates represent lower bounds for oral antibiotic prescriptions in this setting, as we only captured same-day prescriptions. However, our findings suggest that ASC facilities may not be high-impact targets for national, public health antibiotic stewardship efforts. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S87-S87
Author(s):  
Ebbing Lautenbach ◽  
Keith W Hamilton ◽  
Robert Grundmeier ◽  
Melinda M Neuhauser ◽  
Lauri Hicks ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although most antibiotic use occurs in outpatients, antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) have primarily focused on inpatients. A major challenge for outpatient ASPs is lack of accurate and accessible electronic data to target interventions. We developed and validated an electronic algorithm to identify inappropriate antibiotic use for adult outpatients with acute pharyngitis. Methods In the University of Pennsylvania Health System, we used ICD-10 diagnostic codes to identify patient encounters for acute pharyngitis at outpatient practices between 3/15/17 – 3/14/18. Exclusion criteria included immunocompromising conditions, comorbidities, and concurrent infections that might require antibiotic use. We randomly selected 300 eligible subjects. Inappropriate antibiotic use based on chart review served as the basis for assessment of the electronic algorithm which was constructed using only data in the electronic health record (EHR). Criteria for appropriate prescribing, choice of antibiotic, and duration included positive streptococcal testing, use of penicillin/amoxicillin (absent b-lactam allergy), and 10 days maximum duration of therapy. Results Of 300 subjects, median age was 42, 75% were female, 64% were seen by internal medicine (vs. family medicine), and 69% were seen by a physician (vs. advanced practice provider). On chart review, 127 (42%) subjects received an antibiotic, of which 29 had a positive streptococcal test and 4 had another appropriate indication. Thus, 74% (94/127) of patients received antibiotics inappropriately. Of the 29 patients who received appropriate prescribing, 27 (93%) received an appropriate antibiotic. Finally, of the 29 patients who were appropriately treated, 29 (100%) received the correct duration. Test characteristics of the EHR algorithm (compared to chart review) are noted in the Table. Conclusion Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute pharyngitis is common. An electronic algorithm for identifying inappropriate prescribing, antibiotic choice, and duration is highly accurate. This algorithm could be used to efficiently assess prescribing among practices and individual clinicians. The impact of interventions based on this algorithm should be tested in future work. Test Characteristics of Electronic Algorithm for Inappropriate Prescribing, Agent, and Duration Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


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