• Arlo Upton, Rod B Ellis-Pegler, and Andrew Woodhouse.
• Department of Clinical Microbiology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. Arlou@adhb.govt.nz
• N. Z. Med. J. 2004 Aug 20; 117 (1200): U1020.

AimTo review the Auckland Hospital Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Service.MethodsPatients (>15 years of age) were referred to the Service and assessed for suitability for outpatient therapy by an infectious diseases physician and a specialist nurse. Patient demographics, referring service, site of infection, and infecting organism, antimicrobial agent/s and outcomes of treatment including complications were recorded.ResultsOver a 20-month period 100 patients were treated with 107 courses of outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy. Bone and joint infections accounted for close to two thirds (60%) of the referrals; discitis/osteomyelitis (36%), septic arthritis (14%) and infected metalware/prosthetic joint infections (10%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism (42%), and in 21% of cases no organism was identified. In general, antibiotics prescribed were narrow spectrum and all but six patients self-administered up to four times daily. Eighty-eight percent of treatment courses resulted in a cure. Complications related to therapy occurred in 35% of patients.ConclusionsWe have found that parenteral antibiotic therapy can be administered safely and successfully in an outpatient setting despite relatively frequent dosing intervals. The majority of complications were minor, and 88% of patients were cured.

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