[Evaluation of the antibiotics consumption in a Tunisian university hospital]

To estimate the consumption of antibiotics in our hospital and to determine the points at which will be targeted the recommendations of good practice of antibiotherapy.

Our study is a one day prevalence study where antibiotic's prescriptions are analyzed by a group of 6 doctors referents in antibiotherapy.

During the study day, 443 patients were studied. Means age was 44.2 +/- 23.3 years (range: 1 and 102 years). 101 infections were diagnosed in 48 patients (10.8%). 192 patients (43.3%) received antibiotics. Antibiotherapy was curative in 44% of cases. The most prescribed antibiotics were gentamicin (85.2 DDD/1000 patients), metronidazole (79 DDD/1000 patients), and cefotaxime (73.9 DDD/1000 patients). According to the evaluation group, 30.7% of the antibiotic's prescription was considered unjustified. The antibioprophylaxis represents the category most often unjustified (49%). The molecules in which prescription was frequently considered unjustified are the ciprofloxacin (67%), the amoxicilline-clavulanate (40%) and the cefotaxime (40%).

Our results suggest that an action of good practice should be targeted at the antibioprophylaxis and should concern especially molecules in which prescription was frequently unjustified.