1 research outputs found
Antifungal therapy in European hospitals : data from the ESAC point-prevalence surveys 2008 and 2009
The study aimed to identify targets for quality improvement in antifungal use in European hospitals and determine the variability of such
prescribing. Hospitals that participated in the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Point Prevalence Surveys (ESACPPS)
were included. The WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification for ‘antimycotics for systemic use’ (J02) 2009 version
was used. Demographic data and information about indications and diagnoses were collected in 2008 and 2009. From 99 053
patients, 29 324 (29.6%) received antimicrobials. Antifungals represented 1529 of 40 878 (3.7%) antimicrobials. Antifungals were mainly
(54.2%) administered orally. Hospital-acquired infections represented 44.5% of indications for antifungals followed by medical prophylaxis
at 31.2%. The site of infection was not defined in 36.0% of cases but the most commonly targeted sites were respiratory (19.2%)
and gastrointestinal (18.8%). The most used antifungal was fluconazole (60.5%) followed by caspofungin (10.5%). Antifungal–antibacterial
combinations were frequently used (77.5%). The predominance of fluconazole use in participating hospitals could result in an increase in
prevalence of inherently resistant fungi, increasing the need for newer antifungals. Although acknowledging that antifungal prophylaxis in
the immunocompromised host needs further exploration, repetitive surveys using ESAC-PPS methodology may help to monitor the
effects of interventions set to regulate antifungal use.The ESAC project was supported by a grant from the European
Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC;
Grant Agreement 2007/001).peer-reviewe