Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in Italy: A Scoping Review

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) enables effective infection management outside hospital settings, offering clinical and economic benefits. While widely adopted internationally, its implementation in Italy remains fragmented. This study aimed to systematically map the use of OPAT in Italy to identify research and policy priorities.

A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GX8S6 ) in August 2025. Searches were performed across PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies included primary research on OPAT in Italy, with no restrictions on publication date or language. Data extraction focused on study characteristics, OPAT indications, antimicrobial agents, delivery models, and outcomes.

Twenty-three studies were included, mostly observational and single-center, published between 2000 and 2025. OPAT was primarily delivered at home or in infusion centers. The most frequent indications were infections of bone and joint, skin and soft tissue, and the respiratory tract. Ceftriaxone was the most used antimicrobial. Delivery was mainly intravenous, often via elastomeric pumps and peripheral or central venous access. Reported outcomes were generally favorable, with cure or improvement rates exceeding 90% in several studies. Adverse events were infrequent, mostly associated with drug reactions or catheter-related complications. Patient satisfaction was consistently high. Economic evaluations were limited but suggested cost savings primarily driven by reductions in hospital stays.

OPAT is feasible and increasingly used in Italy, but remains inconsistently implemented across regions. Broader adoption would benefit from national guidance, standardized protocols, and integrated stewardship frameworks. Future research should address comparative and cost-effectiveness, as well as equitable access, to support systematic scale-up aligned with national health priorities on antimicrobial resistance and community-based care.