An audit of chloramphenicol use in a large community hospital

In a large community hospital during a six-month period, 238 of 19,670 hospitalized patients (1.2%) received chloramphenicol. The drug was administered exclusively by the intravenous route in 98% of these patients. In 78% of the patients, chloramphenicol was used for an appropriate indication, whereas in 22%, its use was inappropriate. Serious toxic effects and unexpected clinical failures were not observed.