Antibiotic Consumption and Bacterial Resistance Rates in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Study During...

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine
• Hospital Pharmacy

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare, including antibiotic prescribing patterns.
• Understanding shifts in antibiotic consumption is crucial for managing antimicrobial resistance.
• Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are high-risk environments for antibiotic overuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in antibiotic consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic in a hospital setting.
• To investigate the impact of COVID-19 surges on antibiotic use in different hospital departments.
• To assess the effect of altered antibiotic consumption on the prevalence of ESBL Enterobacterales.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of hospital-wide antibiotic consumption data.
• Comparison of antibiotic usage metrics during pre-pandemic periods and COVID-19 surges.
• Monitoring of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) Enterobacterales infection rates.

Main Results:

• Overall antibiotic consumption increased during the first three COVID-19 surges.
• Increased antibiotic use was primarily driven by prescriptions in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
• Antibiotic consumption decreased in the Infectious Diseases Department, while ESBL Enterobacterales rates remained stable.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 pandemic led to varied changes in hospital antibiotic consumption, with a notable rise in ICUs.
• Stable rates of ESBL Enterobacterales suggest that increased overall antibiotic use did not immediately translate to higher resistance during this period.
• Hospital antibiotic stewardship programs require adaptive strategies to address pandemic-related prescribing shifts.