A cost-effectiveness analysis of two different antimicrobial stewardship programs

Abstract There is a lack of formal economic analysis to assess the efficiency of antimicrobial stewardship programs. Herein, we conducted a cost-effectiveness study to assess two different strategies of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs. A 30-day Markov model was developed to analyze how cost-effective was a Bundled Antimicrobial Stewardship implemented in a university hospital in Brazil. Clinical data derived from a historical cohort that compared two different strategies of antimicrobial stewardship programs and had 30-day mortality as main outcome. Selected costs included: workload, cost of defined daily doses, length of stay, laboratory and imaging resources used to diagnose infections. Data were analyzed by deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis to assess model's robustness, tornado diagram and Cost-Effectiveness Acceptability Curve. Bundled Strategy was more expensive (Cost difference US$ 2119.70), however, it was more efficient (US$ 27,549.15 vs 29,011.46). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested that critical variables did not alter final Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio. Bundled Strategy had higher probabilities of being cost-effective, which was endorsed by cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. As health systems claim for efficient technologies, this study conclude that Bundled Antimicrobial Stewardship Program was more cost-effective, which means that stewardship strategies with such characteristics would be of special interest in a societal and clinical perspective.

Cost of antimicrobial treatment in patients infected with multidrug-resistant organisms in the Intensive Care Unit / Costo de la terapia antimicrobiana en pacientes infectados con microorganismos multirresistentes en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos

This study aims to compare the costs of antimicrobial drugs used in the treatment of patients infected with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) or those not infected with this type of organisms in an intensive care unit (ICU). It is a retrospective comparative case-control study, performed in a public hospital in the capital city of Brazil, comprising the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. Information on age, sex, length of hospitalization, clinical outcome, antimicrobial drugs, microorganisms and microbial sensitivity to antibiotics was collected. Spearman and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The sample consisted of 401 patients with a mean age of 51.36 years (± 19.68) being 226 (56.4%) male. As for the length of stay, 32.9% of the patients remained more than 20 days, with 195 discharged and 206 deaths. Global cost of antimicrobial treatment was US$ 1113 221.55 during the three year period. Treatment cost for patients with MDRO was higher than for those without (p = 0.010). At least one MDR strain was isolated in 54.6% of the patients. According to these results, nosocomial infections due to MDRO and the high costs involved may endanger the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy in ICU and Health Centers.

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar los costos del tratamiento con fármacos antimicrobianos para las infecciones debidas a organismos multirresistentes (OMDR) versus aquellas debidas a gérmenes no multirresistentes, en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de un hospital público de Brasilia, Distrito Federal. Fue un estudio retrospectivo, de casos y controles y abarcó un período de tres años (2007, 2008, 2009). Se recolectó información sobre edad, sexo, tiempo de internación, resultados clínicos, antimicrobianos usados, microorganismos aislados y su sensibilidad a los antibióticos. Se utilizaron en el análisis estadístico las pruebas de Spearman y de Mann-Whitney, con p < 0.05. La muestra consistió en 401 pacientes con media de edad de 51.36 años (± 19.68), siendo 226 varones (56.4%). En cuanto al tiempo de internación, un 32.9% de los pacientes permanecieron más de 20 días, con 195 altas y 206 óbitos. El tratamiento antimicrobiano costó US$ 1113 221.55 en los tres años, siendo éste mayor para los que presentaron OMDR que para los que no los presentaron (p = 0.01). Se comprobó la presencia de, por lo menos, un microorganismo multirresistente en el 54.6% de los pacientes. La infección intrahospitalaria con OMDR y el elevado costo del tratamiento de los pacientes infectados con estos microorganismos puede comprometer la efectividad de la terapia antimicrobiana en estas Unidades y Centros de Salud.

Custos com antimicrobianos no tratamento de pacientes com infecção da corrente sanguínea em uma unidade de terapia intensiva / Cost of antimicrobial treatment in patients with blodstream infection in an intensive care unit

A infecção da corrente sanguínea (ICS) é uma das infecções relacionadas à assistência em saúde de maior relevância, devido a sua alta prevalência, morbimortalidade, aos custos associados e, principalmente, à possibilidade de prevenção. Dentre os principais microrganismos a elas associados, ressalta-se o Staphylococcus aureus, sobretudo aqueles resistentes. Os custos relacionados ao tratamento antimicrobiano de pacientes com ICS causada por microrganismos resistentes têm sido pouco explorados. Diante disto, objetivou-se comparar os custos com o tratamento antimicrobiano de pacientes com infecção da corrente sanguínea causada por Staphylococcus aureus resistentes com os custos decorrentes do tratamento envolvendo Staphylococcus aureus sensíveis. Trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico do tipo coorte histórica, realizado em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de um hospital geral, de alta complexidade e privado de Belo Horizonte. A população do estudo foi composta por todos os pacientes que receberam o diagnóstico de ICS por Staphylococcus aureus, com base nos critérios estabelecidos pelo National Healthcare Safety Network do Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no período de março de 2007 a março de 2011. Para a coleta dos dados, as informações sobre a ocorrência da ICS e o número de doses dos antimicrobianos utilizadas no tratamento foram obtidas por meio dos prontuários dos pacientes e dos registros da Comissão de Controle de Infecção Hospitalar. Aquelas referentes aos custos foram calculadas de acordo com o Guia Farmacêutico Brasíndice. Os dados foram analisados no programa de estatístico SPSS. Realizaram-se análise descritiva, univariada e regressão linear. Fizeram parte do estudo 62 pacientes, sendo 31 incluídos no grupo de pacientes com ICS causada por Staphylococcus aureus resistente à oxacilina e 31 incluídos no grupo com ICS por Staphylococcus aureus sensível à oxacilina. Dentre os fatores de risco para ocorrência de ICS por MRSA, a colonização...

Bloodstream infections (BSI) are one of the most relevant healthcare associated infections (HAI), because of its high prevalence, morbimortality, associated costs and, especially, the possibility of prevention. Between the main microorganisms associated with them, it is emphasized Staphylococcus aureus, especially those resistant. Costs related to the antimicrobial treatment of patients with BSI caused by resistant microorganisms are not well known. Thus, this study aimed to compare the costs with antimicrobial treatment of patients with BSI due to Staphylococcus aureus resistant and sensitive to oxacillin (MRSA and MSSA). It was an epidemiological study, conducted in an intensive care unit from a general, high complexity and private hospital from Belo Horizonte. The study population consisted of all patients who were diagnosed with BSI due to Staphylococcus aureus, according to the criteria established by the National Healthcare Safety Network from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during March 2007 and March 2011. For data collection, information about the occurrence of the BSI and the number of doses of antimicrobial used for the treatment were obtained from medical and infection control committee records. Those about costs of drugs were calculated according to the financial system. Data were analyzed using the statistical program SPSS. Descriptive, univariated and multivariated analysis were performed. 62 patients were included in the study, 31 in the group of patients with BSI caused by resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 31 in the group with sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The most important risk factor for development of BSI due to MRSA were colonization with epidemiological important resistant microorganisms (p<0.05). It was observed that bacterial resistance was related to a higher mortality rate (p=0,025), as well as longer length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the institution (p=0,001). The most commom antibiotics...

Uso de antibióticos en México: revisión de problemas y políticas: [revisión] / Antibiotic use in Mexico: review of problems and policies: [review]

El uso inadecuado de antibióticos representa un riesgo para la salud y un desperdicio de recursos económicos en los servicios de salud. Además, contribuye al aumento de la resistencia bacteriana que, a su vez, incrementa los gastos y la mortalidad por enfermedades infecciosas, por lo que se le considera un grave problema de salud pública. Al respecto, la Organización Mundial de la Salud ha recomendado una serie de estrategias fundadas en las políticas farmacéuticas nacionales. En México, diversos aspectos sobre el uso inapropiado de antibióticos han sido documentados. En respuesta se han desarrollado principalmente intervenciones educativas y gerenciales dirigidas a médicos en servicios públicos de salud, así como programas de vigilancia epidemiológica. La investigación y las intervenciones enfocadas en consumidores, farmacias y el sector privado son escasas. Fundamentalmente, no existe una estrategia nacional sobre antibióticos que se refleje en las políticas farmacéuticas y de salud del país.

The inappropriate use of antibiotics signifies a risk for individual health and a waste of health resources. It triggers the development of antibiotic resistance, which increases expenditures and mortality related to infectious disease, and is hence considered a serious public health problem. The World Health Organization has thus recommended a series of strategies to be included within national pharmaceutical policies. In Mexico, diverse factors related to the inappropriate use of antibiotics have been documented. While the response has been mainly in the form of educational and managerial interventions directed toward physicians in public health services, as well as epidemiological surveillance, there is a paucity of research and interventions focused on consumers, pharmacies, and the private sector. Fundamentally, a comprehensive national strategy for antibiotics is not incorporated into health and pharmaceutical policies.