The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Oct 2011
Enterococci increase the morbidity and mortality associated with severe intra-abdominal infections in elderly patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
Enterococci may increase morbidity and mortality in elderly patients with intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ In severely ill, elderly patients in the ICU for an IAI, the isolation of enterococci was associated with increased disease severity and morbidity and was an independent risk factor for mortality.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Oct 2011
Review Meta AnalysisAntibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in primary care: a systematic review and meta-ethnography.
Numerous interventions have been developed to promote prudent antibiotic use for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). While reviews have assessed which interventions may be most effective, none has examined why some interventions may be more effective than others. Knowing what general practitioners (GPs) feel is acceptable and feasible to implement may help to answer this question. ⋯ The findings suggest that interventions should incorporate five aspects to promote prudent use whilst remaining attractive to GPs and feasible in practice. In order to maximize acceptability, interventions should: allow GPs to reflect on their own prescribing; help decrease uncertainty about appropriate ARTI management; educate GPs about appropriate prescribing; facilitate more patient-centred care; and be beneficial to implement in practice.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Oct 2011
Multicenter StudyEradication of carriage with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: effectiveness of a national guideline.
We evaluated the effectiveness of eradication of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage in the Netherlands after the introduction of a guideline in 2006. The guideline distinguishes complicated (defined as the presence of MRSA infection, skin lesions, foreign-body material, mupirocin resistance and/or exclusive extranasal carriage) and uncomplicated carriage (not meeting criteria for complicated carriage). Mupirocin nasal ointment and chlorhexidine soap solution are recommended for uncomplicated carriers and the same treatment in combination with two oral antibiotics for complicated carriage. ⋯ Sixty percent of MRSA carriers were successfully decolonized after the first eradication attempt and 62% were treated according to the guideline, which was associated with an increased treatment success.