ABSTRACT
The anticancer drug technical commission (COTECH) of the Auvergne OMEDIT has set up a region-wide professional practice evaluation (PPE) with regards to antiemetic prescription practices in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), in order to evaluate their compliance with OMEDIT's guidelines. Are not included pediatric and hematologic protocols. A prospective survey was carried from November 2013 to January 2014 out in 14 medical centers in Auvergne. This clinical audit was based on the HAS (national healthcare authority) framework and used as a reference regional standards based on the MASCC Antiemetic Guidelines. Altogether, 346 antiemetic prescriptions were compared to guidelines. We observed respectively 81 % and 42 % conformity rates in acute and delayed emesis for high emesis risk chemotherapy (HE); 86 % and 35 % conformity rates in acute and delayed emesis for moderate emesis risk chemotherapy (ME); 66 % and 85 % conformity rates in acute and delayed emesis for low emesis risk chemotherapy (LE). These results highlight deficiencies in compliance with guidelines, especially in the management of delayed CINV in HE and ME chemotherapy. The COTECH identified three priority improvement areas: under-prescribe NK1 antagonists in HE cure; under-prescribe corticosteroid; over-prescribe 5HT3 antagonists for delayed emesis. The COTECH is publicizing these results all over the Auvergne region, together with a reminder of recommendations.
