Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hospital antimicrobial stewardship programs are especially critical in countries such as the Philippines, where antibiotic resistant infections are highly prevalent. At the study institution in Manila, Philippines, a Prior Approval for Restricted Antimicrobials (PARA) is required for non-infectious disease specialists to prescribe certain antimicrobials, including carbapenems. PARA request forms include specification of empiric or definitive therapy based on diagnostic tests. Recommended duration of therapy is typically 3 days for empiric use and 7 days for definitive, with possible extension upon specialist approval. METHODS: The study took place at an 800-bed tertiary hospital. We performed a retrospective review of patient medical records and laboratory reports dating from January 1 to December 31, 2016. Information related to patient demographics, carbapenem prescription, laboratory diagnosis, and therapy were compiled. Carbapenem prescriptions were classified as 'adherent' or 'non-adherent' according to clinical guidelines related to infection diagnosis, treatment duration, and de-escalation. RESULTS: Of the 185 patients on carbapenem therapy, Prescriptions of carbapenems were either definitive (n = 56), empiric (n = 127), or prophylactic (n = 2) as defined by the ordering provider. 69 out of 185 (37%) prescriptions were deemed non-adherent to guidelines, despite receiving approvals for their respective requests. Of these, 72% were non-adherent due to failure to de-escalate the carbapenem and 28% were non-adherent due to an incomplete course of therapy. CONCLUSION: Despite initial PARA approval for carbapenem therapy, 37% of prescriptions were non-guideline-adherent, highlighting the ongoing challenges in implementing this type of stewardship strategy. In order to increase the effectiveness of PARA, additional approaches may be warranted, including the application of strict policies which reinforce follow-up of available culture results, justification of therapy extension, or referral to an infectious disease specialist.