Correction to: Perioperative antibiotic prescribing in surgery departments of two private sector hospitals in Madhya Pradesh, India.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13741-019-0121-3.].

Perioperative antibiotic prescribing in surgery departments of two private sector hospitals in Madhya Pradesh, India.

BACKGROUND: Single-dose perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) is recommended for clean, non-infectious surgeries to prevent surgical site infections. However, the common practice of unindicated use and prolonged use of antibiotics contributes to the development and spread of antibiotic resistance (ABR). The present study explores the perioperative use of antibiotics among inpatients with surgical indications at surgery departments of a teaching (TH) and a non-teaching (NTH) tertiary care hospital in Madhya Pradesh, India. METHODS: Data was collected manually for all inpatients for 3 years (April 2008-August 2011). Patients with non-infectious surgical indications were selected for detailed analysis at the diagnosis group level. RESULTS: Out of 12,434 enrolled inpatients (TH 6171 and NTH 6263), the majority (> 85%) received antibiotics. None of the inpatients received the recommended single-dose PAP. The average duration of antibiotic treatment was significantly longer at the TH compared to the NTH (9.5 vs 4.4 days, p < 0.001). Based on the study aim, 5984 patients were classified in four diagnosis groups: upper or lower urinary tract surgery indications (UUTSI and LUTSI), and routine or emergency abdominal surgery indications (RASI and EASI). In both hospitals, quinolones were the most prescribed antibiotics for UUTSI (TH 70%, NTH 37%) and LUTSI (TH 70%, NTH 61%) antibiotic. In the TH, aminoglycosides (TH 32%) were commonly prescribed for RASI and imidazole derivatives (75%) for EASI. In the NTH, cephalosporins (39%) and imidazole derivatives (56%) were the most prescribed in RASI and EASI, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: High prescribing of antibiotics in all four selected diagnoses groups was observed at both hospitals. In spite of the recommended single-dose PAP, antibiotics were mainly prescribed for longer durations. The unrecommended use of antibiotics is a risk factor for the development of AMR. Improving the quality of antibiotic prescribing by a stewardship program focusing on the development and implementation of local prescribing guidelines is needed.

Maltese Antibiotic Stewardship Programme in the Community (MASPIC): protocol of a prospective quasiexperimental social marketing intervention.

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic misuse is a key driver of antibiotic resistance. In 2015/2016, Maltese respondents reported the highest proportions of antibiotic consumption in Europe. Since antibiotics are prescription-only medicines in Malta, research on effective strategies targeting general practitioners' (GPs) knowledge and behaviour is needed. Multifaceted behaviour change (BC) interventions are likely to be effective. Social marketing (SM) can provide the tools to promote sustained BC; however, its utilisation in Europe is limited. This paper aims to describe the design and methods of a multifaceted SM intervention aimed at changing Maltese GPs' antibiotic prescribing behaviour for patients with acute respiratory tract infections (aRTIs). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This 4-year quasiexperimental intervention study will be carried out in Malta and includes three phases: preintervention, intervention and postintervention. The preintervention phase intends to gain insight into the practices and attitudes of GPs, pharmacists and parents through interviews, focus group discussions and antibiotic prescribing surveillance. A 6-month intervention targeting GPs will be implemented following assessment of their prescribing intention and readiness for BC. The intervention will likely comprise: prescribing guidelines, patient educational materials, delayed antibiotic prescriptions and GP education. Outcomes will be evaluated in the postintervention phase through questionnaires based on the theory of planned behaviour and stages-of-change theory, as well as postintervention surveillance. The primary outcome will be the antibiotic prescribing rate for all patients with aRTIs. Secondary outcomes will include the proportion of diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescription and symptomatic relief medication prescribed, and the change in GPs stage-of-change and their intention to prescribe antibiotics. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The project received ethical approval from the University of Malta's Research Ethics Committee. Should this intervention successfully decrease antibiotic prescribing, it may be scaled up locally and transferred to similar settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03218930; Pre-results.

The management of infections in children in general practice in Sweden: a repeated 1-week diagnosis-prescribing study in 5 counties in 2000 and 2002.

A diagnosis-prescribing study was performed in 5 Swedish counties during 1 week in November in 2000 and repeated in 2002. The aim of the present study was to analyse data for children 0-15y of age who consulted a general practitioner with symptoms of an infection. During the 2 weeks studied, 4049 children were consulted. Respiratory tract infections (RTI) were the predominant diagnoses, above all among the youngest children, while the proportion of urinary tract infections and skin infections increased with increasing age. Between the y 2000 and 2002, the proportion of children allocated the diagnosis streptococcal tonsillitis and pneumonia decreased (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively) while the proportion of common cold increased (p<0.001). Antibiotic prescribing decreased from 55% to 48% (p<0.001) for respiratory infections between the years studied. The only significant changes in type of antibiotics prescribed were the increase of isoxazolylpenicillins (p<0.001) used for skin infection and the decrease of macrolides (p=0.001). A diagnostic test was used in more than half of the consultations. Of children allocated a RTI diagnosis, 36% were prescribed antibiotics when a C-reactive protein test was performed compared to 58% in those not tested. Further studies are needed in general practice to determine the optimal use of near-patient tests in children with RTI.