A Prospective Quasi-Experimental Study of Multifaceted Interventions Including Computerized Drug Utilization Evaluation to Improve an Antibiotic Stewardship Program.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine and evaluate interventions that improve an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) in reduction of the amount of antibiotic use and errors in drug utilization evaluation (DUE) form completion. METHODS: A prospective quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the multifaceted interventions (preauthorization with computerized DUE, self-supervised checklists, and short active reminders of the antibiotic guidelines recommendations) incorporating an ASP among hospitalized internal medicine patients in a Thai tertiary care center. The preintervention period was from January to December 2018, and the postintervention period was from February 2019 to January 2020. RESULTS: A total of 9188 and 9787 patient data were analyzed during the preintervention and postintervention periods, respectively. The overall median antibiotic use (defined daily dose/1000 bed-days) was significantly decreased in the postintervention period compared with the preintervention period (867.68 versus 732.33; P < 0.001). The reduction in antibiotic use was predominantly observed among broad-spectrum antibiotics, including cefoperazone/sulbactam (15.35 versus 9.75; P = 0.04), cefepime (13.09 versus 6.37; P = 0.003), ciprofloxacin (32.99 versus 17.83; P < 0.001), piperacillin/tazobactam (99.23 versus 91.93; P = 0.03), meropenem (2.01 versus 0.99; P < 0.001), imipenem/cilastatin (9.53 versus 4.59; P = 0.04), and colistin (74.70 versus 22.34; P < 0.0001). The overall rate of errors in DUE form completion was significantly decreased after the intervention (40% versus 28%; P < 0.001). The incidence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections/colonization was significantly lower in the postintervention period (0.27 versus 0.12/1000 bed-days; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The study multifaceted interventions incorporating ASP were associated with significant reduction in the amount of broad-spectrum antibiotic use, DUE form completion errors, and incidence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection/colonization.

Risk categorization and outcomes among healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19: A cohort study from a Thai tertiary-care center.

BACKGROUND: A risk categorization tool for healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to COVID-19 is crucial for preventing COVID-19 transmission and requires validation and modification according to local context. METHODS: From January to December 2021, a prospective cohort study was conducted among Thai HCWs to evaluate the performance of the specifically-created risk categorization tool, which classified HCWs into low-risk (LR), intermediate-risk (IR), and high-risk (HR) groups based on types of activities, duration of exposure, and protective methods used during exposure. Subsequent measures were determined for the HCWs based on the risk categories. RESULTS: 1891 HCWs were included; 52%, 25% and 23% were LR, IR, and HR, respectively. COVID-19 was diagnosed in 1.3%, 5.1% and 27.3% of LR, IR and HR HCWs, respectively (P <0.001). Independent factors associated with COVID-19 were household or community exposure [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1588.68; P <0.001), being HR (aOR, 11.94; P <0.001), working at outpatient departments (aOR, 2.54; P <0.001), and no history of COVID-19 vaccination (aOR, 2.05; P = 0.01). The monthly rates of COVID-19 among LR, IR, and HR HCWs significantly decreased after the incremental rate of full vaccination. In-hospital transmission between HCWs occurred in 8% and was mainly due to eating at the same table. CONCLUSION: The study risk categorization tool can differentiate risks of COVID-19 among the HCWs. Prevention of COVID-19 should be focused on HCWs with the identified risk factors and behaviors associated with COVID-19 development and encouraging receipt of full vaccination.

The efficacy of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol compared with 10% povidone iodine in reducing blood culture contamination in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Blood culture is the gold standard for diagnosis of septicemia. However; false-positive blood cultures are associated with increased health care costs due to unnecessary treatment. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol compared with 10% povidone iodine in reducing blood culture contamination inpediatricpatients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This is a prospective study of pediatric patients who were admitted at a tertiary-care hospital. Pediatric patients who neededpercutaneous blood cultures were recruitedfrom two general pediatric wards and the pediatric intensive care unit. The authors used 10% povidone iodine as an antiseptic in odd months and 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol as an antiseptic in even months in obtaining the blood culture samples. RESULTS: There were 1,269 blood culture specimens taken from 821 patients. 654 specimens used 10%povidone iodine as an antiseptic and 619 specimens used 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol as an antiseptic. The 10% povidone iodine group and the 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol group had the risk of blood culture contamination of 3.21% (95%CI: 2.00%-4.87%) and 2.28% (95% CI: 1.25%-3.79%) respectively. The risk difference ofblood culture contamination was 0.93% (95% confidence interval: 0. 86-2.72%) with p = 0.31. The most common contamination organism was Coagulase negative staphylococci (68.57%). No adverse skin reactions were observed in both antiseptic solutions groups. CONCLUSION: Use of2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% alcohol as an antiseptic seems to reduce the risk of blood culture contamination compared to use of 10% povidone iodine. In addition, neither of the antiseptic solutions resulted in adverse skin reactions.