Drug utilization evaluation of vancomycin in a referral infectious center in mazandaran province

DUE [Drug Utilization Evaluation] studies can help identify and correct problems associated with irrational use of drugs. Considering lack of data regarding how rational vancomycin is being used, we evaluated this DUE study in a referral infectious center to evaluate compliance with guidelines in terms of rational use of this valuable antibiotic. This retrospective study was done for 6 months from March to September 2012 at Razi hospital, an educational hospital affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Data including patients' demographics, vancomycin dose, kidney function assessment, dose adjustments, sampling and culture were collected. Based on the HICPAC [Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee] and Up-to-date 2012 advices, the concordance of practice with standard guidelines was assessed. One hundred and forty six medical records were reviewed in this study. Fever and shortness of breath were the most common symptoms at the time of initiation of vancomycin. Skin infections, lower respiratory tract infection and septicemia were the most common initial diagnosis of patients. Sampling was done in almost one-third of patients. Most of patient with a specific order were received vancomycin in half an hour. Considering the indication, Vancomycin was administered appropriately in 58 percent of patients. Vancomycin was used irrationally in a great proportion of patients. The main observed drawbacks were empiric use of vancomycin without subsequent adjustment of antimicrobial agent according to culture and sensitivity data and lack of paying enough attention to calculation of creatinine clearance and dosage adjustment

[Microbiological study and antimicrobial susceptibilities of brucella isolates in serologic diagnosed cases]

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution that is endemic in Iran. Worldwide, brucellosis remains a major cause of morbidity in humans and domesticated animals. The disease has a wide spectrum of clinical manifestation and can affect a variety of organs and systems. This study focused on blood culture of serologic diagnosed brucellosis and antimicrobial susceptibility test. In this cross sectional study, microbiologic survey was done on a total of 30 serum samples with STA titer of 1:160 or greater and 2ME titer of 1:40 or greater, which were presumptive for brucellosis. Blood cultures were done by lysis centrifugation and antimicrobial susceptibility test, against 9 antimicrobial agents by disk method. The data was analyzed by stata V8.0 software. At the end this study, the blood culture isolation rate was 23.3% [7 cases out of 30 patients] and all of the isolates were brucella melitensis. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed high in vitro activity of ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and doxycycline and also, low in vitro activity of streptomycin and cotrimoxazole. Brucellosis is endemic in Iran. Brucella melitensis was the most common strain of brucella in our patients. Except cotrimoxazole and streptomycin, high in vitro activity was found with other antibrucella agents, especially with ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and doxycycline