Vol.68 No.1 January 2020
Role of pharmacists in managing drug-resistant bacteria based on the trends in drug usage
1)Department of Pharmacy, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-5-7 Asahi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan
2)Infection Control Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University
Abstract
Pharmacists play a crucial role in the surveillance of antimicrobial usage (AMU). AMU comprises the following three aspects: daily usage, duration of use, and the number of users. Clinically applied indicators of AMU include antimicrobial use density (AUD), based on the defined daily dose, days of therapy (DOT), and the ratio between the two (AUD/DOT). A mutual assessment of these indicators could reveal factors involved in the changes in AMU.
Here, we cite instances of the use of AUD, DOT, and AUD/DOT at Osaka City University Hospital, to explain the concept behind the three indicators. We also report on the use of AUD, DOT, and AUD/DOT for assessing the outcomes of antimicrobial stewardship team (AST) activities.
Daily usage, duration of use, and number of users of antibacterial drugs are recognized as factors for evaluating the antibiotic efficacy against drug-resistant bacteria; however, the merits and demerits of appropriate AMU cannot be determined based on surveillance alone. Analyzing AMU in combination with AUD (which, until now, has been the primary indicator of AMU) and DOT may enable more appropriate assessment of AST interventions, and sharing information on AUD, DOT, and AUD/DOT could aid in the management of drug-resistant bacteria.
Received
August 2, 2018
Accepted
September 18, 2019
Jpn. J. Chemother. 68 (1): 125-131, 2020
