Antifungal stewardship: implementation in a French teaching hospital

Invasive fungal infections are responsible for severe morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. New, more effective antifungal drugs have been available for more than a decade but are extremely expensive suggesting the need for judicious prescribing.

Infectious diseases physicians had been closely collaborating with hematologists on antimicrobial use since 2000. In 2002, an antifungal stewardship program (ASP) was implemented. It included discussing antifungal prescriptions with a dedicated infectious diseases physician twice weekly, telephone counseling 5 days a week from 9 A.M. to 7 P.M., and training meetings for junior/senior prescribers organized at least once yearly. The same year, a multidisciplinary group drafted evidence-based local guidelines on the use of antifungals in the hematology unit, which were published in 2004. These guidelines included decision algorithms and preprinted prescription forms that allowed only guideline-recommended drugs for a given indication. These guidelines have been updated and simplified at least every 2 years (current version 7.0; 2012).

Between 2003 and 2012, in the 20-bed isolated hematology sector (allograft and acute leukemia induction chemotherapy patients), antifungal consumption decreased by 40% (from approximately 1000 to 620 defined daily doses per 1000 hospitalization days). Invasive fungal infections (IFI) remained stable in the whole 51-bed department, during the study period, with 1 to 2 IFI per month. In 2005, the 12-week survival rate for 29 cases of invasive aspergillosis was 72%. Early IFI related mortality has decreased recently.

A permanent collaboration between hematologists and an infectious diseases physician can improve antifungal prescribing.