Enhancing the empiric antibiotic selection by introducing an antibiogram toolkit in a tertiary care hospital in...

Antibiograms gives an overview of the cumulative susceptibility of formal antibiotics to bacterial isolates, which reflects the portion of each bacterium susceptible to a given antibiotic formulation by using antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The objective of this study is to gather and analyse data from drug utilization evaluation (DUE) studies and antimicrobial susceptibility tests in order to create an antibiogram toolkit that will help clinicians to select appropriate antimicrobial agents for initial empirical antibiotic therapy at point of care settings and avoid irrational use of antibiotics.

A prospective interventional study was conducted at tertiary care hospital, biological samples of infectious patients were collected from various wards as per Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute CLSI M39-A4 guidelines. Antimicrobial susceptibility results were analysed using WHONET software. Antibiotic stewardship committee was formed and involved in monitoring the usage of antibiotics, measuring outcomes, collecting feedback and finding the scope for improving the application of antibiogram toolkit in the hospital. Antibiotic usage tracking method was followed to know the level of adherence to the prescribing guidelines by the health care professionals.

A total of 157 samples were obtained from various wards of the hospital. In that, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella Pneumoniae were isolated in significant numbers. Antibacterial susceptibility results were collected, an initial antibiogram was developed for 18 antibacterial agents with respect to 3 gram-positive (+) and 1 gram-negative (-) organisms. 90% of prescribers mentioned that the antibiogram was useful, and 76% of them adhered to the guidelines. 26% were not adhered due to the patient-related factors.

In our study, we have used qualitative and quantitative evaluation of drug utilization (DUE) reports to understand the existing prescribing pattern of antibiotics and setting target organisms and antibacterials to develop the hospital antibiogram. Combining DUE studies and antibiogram development was helpful in implementing effective antibiotic policies for the hospital. Further, this study pattern will be continued on a yearly basis and focused on developing cumulative antibiograms to understand the changes in resistance pattern of antimicrobials and utilization of antibiotics in the hospital.