The antibiotic resistance survey: a preliminary report on the drug utilization evaluation study at the University...

To perform a longitudinal drug utilization evaluation and to analyse the antibiotic resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa as well as the consumption of selected antibiotics.

Data from 1992-1997 were collected from the Hospital Pharmacy database at the University Teaching Hospital (1200 beds) where physicians' prescriptions are recorded. To analyse antibiotic consumption, ATC/DDD methodology was used. To express the dynamics of the drug consumption, the value of index I was established. To analyse the resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, data from the antibiotic centre database at The Teaching Hospital were examined.

The rate of consumption is on the rise among extend spectrum aminopenicillins, carbapenems, glycopeptides, third generation cephalosporins and second generation macrolides and fluoroquinolones. Antibiotics with a decline in the rate of consumption are first generation macrolides and tetracyclines.

The consumption of relatively new and expensive antibiotics increased during the observation period between 1992-1997. Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to selected antibiotics was identified to be increasing. In the case of amikacin and ceftazidime a possible association between resistance and consumption was found. Copyright (c) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.