Potential Excess Intravenous Antibiotic Therapy in the Setting of Gram-Negative Bacteremia

(1) Background: Excessive intravenous therapy (EIV) is associated with negative consequences, but guidelines are unclear about when switching to oral therapy is appropriate. (2) Methods: This cohort included patients aged ≥18 years receiving ≥48 h of antimicrobial therapy for bacteremia due to <i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ashley R. Selby, Jaffar Raza, Duong Nguyen, Ronald G. Hall 2nd
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
Series:Pharmacy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4787/9/3/133
Description
Summary:(1) Background: Excessive intravenous therapy (EIV) is associated with negative consequences, but guidelines are unclear about when switching to oral therapy is appropriate. (2) Methods: This cohort included patients aged ≥18 years receiving ≥48 h of antimicrobial therapy for bacteremia due to <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, or <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i> from 1/01/2008–8/31/2011. Patients with a polymicrobial infection or recurrent bacteremia were excluded. Potential EIV (PEIV) was defined as days of intravenous antibiotic therapy beyond having a normal WBC count for 24 h and being afebrile for 48 h until discharge or death. (3) Results: Sixty-nine percent of patients had PEIV. Patients who received PEIV were more likely to receive intravenous therapy until discharge (46 vs. 16%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Receipt of PEIV was associated with a longer mean time to receiving oral antimicrobials (8.7 vs. 3 days, <i>p</i> < 0.001). The only factors that impacted EIV days in the multivariable linear regression model were the source of infection (urinary tract) (coefficient −1.54, 95%CI −2.82 to −0.26) and Pitt bacteremia score (coefficient 0.51, 95%CI 0.10 to 0.92). (4) Conclusions: PEIV is common in inpatients with Gram-negative bacteremia. Clinicians should look to avoid PEIV in the inpatient setting.
ISSN:2226-4787