Analysis of antimicrobial consumption and cost in a teaching hospital

SummaryBackgroundThe aim of this study is to compare the periods before and after the intervention applied using the ATC/DDD method in order to ascertain the rational use of antibiotics in a newly established hospital.MethodThe appropriateness of the hospital's antibiotic use, consumption rates and the costs were calculated and compared with other hospitals. Based on these data, an intervention has been planned in order to raise the quality of antibiotic use. The periods before and after the intervention were compared. Between 16 May 2011 and 23 May 2012, data were collected from all hospital units by the infectious diseases specialists and a point prevalence survey was conducted. Anatomical therapeutic chemical classification and the defined daily dose (DDD) methodology were used to calculate the antibiotic consumption.ResultsOn two specific days in 2011 and 2012, 194 out of 307 patients (63.2%) and 224 out of 412 patients (54.4%) received antibiotic treatment, respectively. In 2011 and 2012, the percentage of appropriate antibiotic use was 51% and 64.3%, respectively. Both in 2011 and 2012, inappropriate antibiotic use was found to be significantly higher in surgical clinics in comparison to the internal diseases clinics and the ICU. This was caused by the high rates of inappropriate perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis observed in surgical clinics. During both years, approximately one-third of the antibiotics were prescribed for the purposes of perioperative prophylaxis, while 88.5% and 43.7% of these, respectively, were inappropriate and unnecessary. Cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, combinations of penicillins (including β-lactamase inhibitors) and carbapenems were the most frequently prescribed antibiotics during the study periods. The mean total antibiotic consumption was 93.6 DDD/100 bed-days and 63.1 DDD/100 bed-days, respectively. The cost of total antibacterial consumption was € 7901.33 for all the patients (€ 40.72 per infected patient) and € 6500.26 (€ 29.01 per infected patient), respectively.ConclusionEach hospital should follow and assess their antibiotic use expressed in DDD in order to compare their antibiotic use with national and international hospitals (WHO, 2009 [14])

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in High-Risk Population, Turkey

In the Tokat and Sivas provinces of Turkey, the overall Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) seroprevalence was 12.8% among 782 members of a high-risk population. CCHFV seroprevalence was associated with history of tick bite or tick removal from animals, employment in animal husbandry or farming, and being >40 years of age

CT dose management for neurologic events in patients with cardiac devices: Radiation exposure variation in patients with cardiac devices

PURPOSE:To compare the inter-center cranial computed tomography (CT) acquisition rates, CT findings, CT related radiation dose, and variability of CT acquisition parameters for neurologic events among patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD).METHODS:A total of 224 patients [ICD group (n = 155) and LVAD group (n = 69)] who had at least one cranial CT scan were enrolled from three medical centers. The variability and effect of the number, indication, and findings of cranial CT scans as well as CT acquisition parameters including tube potential, tube current, tube rotation time (TI), slice collimation (cSL), and spiral or sequential scanning techniques on CT dose index volume (CTDIvol), total dose length product (DLP) were analyzed.RESULTS:The mean DLP value of Center A and mean CTDIvol values of Center A and C were significantly lower than Center B (p < 0.001). The mean CTDIvol and DLP values in the ICD group were substantially lower than the LVAD group (p<0.001). The most potent parameters causing the changes in CTDIvol and DLP were kV, mAs values, and CT scanning technique as sequential or spiral according to multivariate linear regression analysis.CONCLUSION:Cranial CT acquisition parameters and radiation doses vary significantly between centers, which necessitates optimization of cranial CT protocols to overcome the cumulative radiation dose burden in patients with neurologic events

Ostracod fauna and its environmental characteristics of kÖprÜkÖy/Erzurum (East Anatolia) Region [KÖPrÜKÖY/erzurum (dogu anadolu) yÖresi ostrakod faunasi ve ortamsal Özellikleri]

Study was carried out within Horasan formation around Köprüköy located in the east of Erzurum This formation is available in the region of Erzurum-Pasinler-Horasan forming the northest where neo-tectonic sediments are surfaced in East Anatolia. The unit is composed of pebble stones, clays and marl iteration. Ostracod, gastropod and pelecypod species were observed on the levels of clay stone with soft clasts and marl taken from the area. Generally, ostracod species which are unique to Ponto-Caspian basin were described in these units within the scope of the study. These are such ostracod species as Amnicythere idonea Mandelstam, Markova, Rozyeva and Stepanajtys, Candona (Caspiocypris) erzurumensis Freels, Candona (Caspiocypris) araxica Freels, Candona (Caspiocypris) aff. alta (Zalanyi), Candona (Lineocypris) aff. granulosa Zalanyi, Bakunella cf. dorsoarcuata (Zalanyi), Bakunella cf. subtriangularis (Sveyer), Candona (Candona) lycica Freels, Candona (Candona) Armenia Freels, Candona (Candona) aff. elongata (Svejer), Fossilyocypris sarizensis (Safak, Nazik and Senol). There are also such micro mollusc species as Gyraulus inornatus, Dreissena polymorpha available in the sequence. Among these-genera; Candona (Candona) fresh water, Candona (Caspiocypris), Candona (Lineocypris), Fossilyocypris fresh-brackish water (oligohaline), Bakunella characterizes rarely fresh water,mostly brackish water, Amnicythere characterizes brackish water, Gyraulus, Dreissena characterize fresh water conditions. Ostracod fauna, determined in this study, indicates a group clearly supporting these comments in terms of the relation of age and environment and the age of the formation is Late Miocene-Pliocene according to the fauna

Brucellar pericarditis: a report of four cases and review of the literature

Background: Brucellosis, a disease endemic in many countries including Turkey, is a systemic infectious disease. Cardiovascular complications are not frequent, and endocarditis is the main cardiac manifestation of brucellosis. Pericarditis in the absence of concomitant endocarditis is extremely rare

Lichen Planus Induced by Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a Therapy in a Patient Monitored for Delta Hepatitis

Interferons are used for treatment of chronic hepatitis B. They can induce or exacerbate some skin disorders, such as lichen planus. In this study, as we know, we presented the first case developing lichen planus while receiving interferon treatment due to delta hepatitis. A 31-year-old male patient presented to our outpatient clinic with HBsAg positivity. With his analyses, HBV DNA was negative, anti-delta total was positive, ALT was 72 U/L (upper limit 41 U/L), and platelet was 119 000/mm3. He was therefore started on subcutaneous pegylated interferon alfa-2a therapy at 180 mcg/week for delta hepatitis. At month 4 of therapy, the patient developed diffuse eroded lace-like lesions in oral mucosa, white plaques on lips, and itchy papular lesions in the hands and feet. Lichen planus was considered by the dermatology clinic and topical treatment (mometasone furoate) was given. The lesions persisted at month 5 of therapy and biopsy samples were obtained from oral mucosal lesions and interferon dose was reduced to 135 mcg/week. Biopsy demonstrated nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium; epithelial acanthosis, spongiosis, and apoptotic bodies were observed in the epidermis and therefore lichen planus was considered. At month 6 of therapy, lesions did not improve and even progressed and interferon treatment was therefore discontinued

Anaesthetic Management of a Patient with Synchronous Kartagener Syndrome and Biliary Atresia

Kartagener syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by primary ciliary dyskinesia accompanied by sinusitis, bronchiectasis, and situs inversus. Synchronous extrahepatic biliary atresia and Kartagener syndrome are very rare. During the preoperative preparation of patients with Kartagener syndrome, special attention is required for the respiratory and cardiovascular system. It is important to provide suitable anaesthetic management to avoid problems because of ciliary dysfunction in the perioperative period. Further, maintaining an effective pain control with regional anaesthetic methods reduces the risk of pulmonary complications. Infants with biliary atresia operated earlier have a higher chance of survival. Hepatic dysfunction and decrease in plasma proteins are important for the kinetics of drugs. In this presentation, the anaesthetic management of patients with synchronous Kartagener syndrome and biliary atresia, both of which are rare diseases, is evaluated

Cytopenia in adult brucellosis patients

Background & objectives: Brucellosis can lead to haematological abnormalities including cytopenia confusing with haematological malignancies. The aim of this study was to compare the main characteristics of brucellosis patients without cytopenia (Group 1) and with cytopenia (Group 2). Methods: This five-year period study which was performed in two referral hospitals in Turkey, included all adult brucellosis patients. Abnormally, low counts of leucocyte or haemoglobin or platelets in a patient were considered as cytopenia. The demographics, clinical, laboratory, treatment and outcome data were analyzed. Results: A total of 484 brucellosis patients were enrolled. Among the cases, 162 (33.5%) of them had cytopenia. One hundred and four (21.5%) had anaemia, 88 (18.8%) had thrombocytopenia, 71 (14.6%) had leucopenia and 28 (5.8%) had pancytopenia. The mean age of group 2 was 35.01±16.05 yr and it was 33.31±14.39 yr in group 1. While there was no difference between the groups in terms of duration of treatment, the median length of hospital stay (LOS) was significantly longer in group 2 (9 vs 10 days; P<0.001). The most frequently applied combination therapy consisted of doxycycline plus rifampicin and doxycycline plus streptomycin regimens. No significant difference was observed in terms of duration of treatment, LOS and restoration time of cytopenia between the patients who received either of these combinations. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings suggested that the patients with cytopenia should be investigated for brucellosis, especially if living in, or with a history of travel to, endemic areas, in view of the increase in world travel