Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2019 | Septicemia | Research article
Intravenous-to-oral antibiotic switch therapy: a cross-sectional study in critical care units
Published in: BMC Infectious Diseases | Issue 1/2019
Login to get accessAbstract
Background
This study aimed to evaluate the oral switch (OS) stewardship intervention in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Methods
This was a retrospective study with a convenience sample in two Brazilian ICUs from different hospitals in patients with sepsis receiving antibiotic therapy. The stewardship intervention included OS in patients diagnosed with sepsis when clinical stability was achieved. The primary outcome was overall mortality. Other variables evaluated were as follows: cost of antimicrobial treatment, daily costs of intensive care, acute kidney injury, and length of stay.
Results
There was no difference in mortality between the OS and non-OS groups (p = 0.06). Length of stay in the ICU (p = 0.029) was shorter and acute kidney injury incidence (p = 0.032) and costs of antimicrobial therapy (p < 0.001) were lower in the OS group.
Conclusion
OS stewardship programs in the ICU may be considered a safe strategy. Switch therapy reduced the cost and shortened the length of stay in ICUs.