ABSTRACT
Background: Consensus guidelines on the therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin published in 2020 recognize that using the calculated area-under-the-curve (AUC) to guide dosing maximizes clinical efficacy and minimizes risk when compared to traditional trough-based dosing. The purpose of this study was to determine whether AUC monitoring results in reduced acute kidney injury (AKI) rates in adult patients receiving vancomycin for all indications. Methods: In this study, patients 18 years or older who received pharmacist-managed vancomycin therapy were selected using pharmacy surveillance software from 2 timeframes. Patients were excluded if they received less than 48 hours of therapy or had unstable renal function or hemodialysis at baseline. The primary outcome measured was the incidence of AKI in each group of patients. Results: Data were collected for 121 patients in each group. Concomitant nephrotoxins used in each group, as well as the sources of infection, were similar between groups. AUC monitoring did not result in a significant decrease in AKI rate (16.5% in AUC group, 14.9% in trough group; P = .61). However, patients who received AUC monitoring were more likely to be therapeutic at first follow-up compared to the trough monitoring group (43.2% in AUC group, 33.9% in trough group; P = .03). AUC monitoring also resulted in lower trough levels and total daily doses, with no difference in mortality or length of stay. Conclusion: AUC monitoring did not result in an observed decrease in AKI rate. Despite this, the AUC monitoring protocol was effective at reaching the goal AUC of 400-600 mg*hour/L and did not increase mortality or length of stay.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Results of an initiative to increase participation in a survey on hospital pharmacy practices are reported. METHODS: In an initiative led by pharmacy residents at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, a task force was created to boost the rate of response to the Hospital-Assessment Survey (HSA), an online benchmarking tool developed as part of the ASHP-sponsored Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI). Under the guidance of leaders from ASHP's Texas affiliate and state health-system pharmacy leaders, an 11-member team of residents targeted Texas hospitals that had not responded to the HSA as of December 2013 and used phone and e-mail methods to encourage survey participation. Data obtained from newly responding institutions were aggregated with previously collected data on Texas facilities and compared with national data. RESULTS: During the 11-week initiative, 66 new HSA responses were received from Texas hospitals, raising the total number of respondents to 89 and boosting the overall participation rate from 4.3% to 16.7% (p <0.001). Analysis of the survey data indicated broad similarities among small and large Texas hospitals with regard to six optimal practice characteristics. Pharmacy practice models and characteristics in Texas overall were largely consistent with national statistics. CONCLUSION: The involvement of the PPMI task force was associated with a substantial increase in the survey response rate. The survey results indicated that, with a few exceptions, practice models and the use of optimal practices were similar at Texas hospitals of various sizes and between Texas hospitals overall and sampled hospitals nationwide.
