National Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Formulation Use Pattern: A Survey

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Multiple amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) formulations exist, leading to variability in clinical practice.
• This variability has potential implications for treatment efficacy and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the current patterns of amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) formulation selection in the United States.
• To identify the extent of variability in AMC formulation use across different institutions and for various infections.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter survey was distributed to pharmacy and medical practitioners via professional listservs and networks in June 2019.
• Responses from 190 independent institutions were analyzed to determine AMC formulation usage and prescriber practices.

Main Results:

• Prescribers, primarily, selected patient-specific AMC formulations in 55% of inpatient cases.
• Significant variability in the number of AMC formulations used for common infections like acute otitis media and urinary tract infections was observed.
• While the 14:1 ratio was most common for certain infections, other ratios (2:1, 4:1) were also utilized, indicating formulation selection diversity.

Conclusions:

• Substantial variability exists in amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) formulation selection across healthcare institutions in the United States.
• This observed variability underscores a need for potential standardization to optimize patient outcomes and minimize medication errors.