1742. Antibiotic Use in the Podiatry Clinic: Antimicrobial Stewardship Setting Foot in Uncharted Territory

Abstract

Background Podiatrists independently manage diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), often complicated by diabetic foot infections (DFIs). The prevalence of DFU is 40 - 60% and guidelines vary in their recommendations for DFI, creating a target for antimicrobial stewardship. However, the prevalence and appropriateness of antibiotics prescribed by podiatrists has not been reported. We describe both variables among patients with DFU in a podiatry clinic. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of all consecutive patients > 18 years of age with DFUs, infected or not, who had at least one visit to the UPMC Mercy Wound Clinic (Pittsburgh, PA) in 2020. We defined severity of infection using the PEDIS score and diagnosis of osteomyelitis (OM) (Figure 1). We collected data on antibiotics prescribed by podiatry in the clinic or by any provider during a hospitalization for DFI. Figure 2 shows our appropriateness criteria. Figure 1:Stratification of Severity of Diabetic Foot InfectionFigure 2:Criteria for Appropriateness of Antibiotic Use in Diabetic Foot Ulcers Results Of 72 patients with DFU, 32 (44.4%) received an antibiotic. Compared to those who did not receive antibiotics, patients who did were more likely male (86.2% vs. 63.6%), had a higher PEDIS score (2.03 vs. 1.49), and were more frequently diagnosed with OM (71.9% vs. 26.8%). (Table 1). Table 2 shows the most common antibiotics. Among the five patients with no to mild infection, none received appropriate treatment (Table 3). Two patients in that category received IV antibiotics (when hospitalized for DFI), and neither received an Infectious Diseases (ID) consult. The other three were considered inappropriate due to durations > 7 days. The mean length of treatment for patients with mild infection was 12.6 (4.56). The two patients with moderate infection who received antibiotics had “inappropriate” courses; however, both had complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, and therefore 4-6 weeks courses were justified. All 12 inappropriate courses in severe infections were due to courses > 42 days. Conclusion Prescription of antibiotics among patients with DFU was common. Our findings suggest potential targets for antimicrobial stewardship: unnecessarily long courses an IV antibiotic use in patients with mild or no infection. Our criteria can be refined to recognize situations in which prolonged therapy may be justified, and larger studies are warranted. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.