A Prospective Study of the Impact of Microbiological Cultures on Antibiotic Prescribing Pattern in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective: Antibiotics are frequently prescribed because of clinical suspicion of infection, while the results of the microbiological analysis are still awaited. This study was undertaken to assess the impact of microbiological culture results on the antibiotic prescribing pattern.
 Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on 400 patients of either sex and any age with positive microbiological culture results. Empirical antibiotic therapy details were recorded and change in empirical antibiotic therapy after positive culture results was also recorded. Assessment of sensitivity resistance pattern of microorganisms was also performed.
 Results: In the study, male: female ratio was 1.01:1. The majority of patients i.e. 94 (24.50%) were in the 46 y to 60 y of age group. Definitive antibiotic therapy was initiated in 103 patients (25.75%) out of 400 patients. The highest number of changes in antibiotic therapy was done in urinary tract infections (63.95%) and septicemia (32.61%) cases. Klebsiella (34.25%), E. coli (32%) and Staphylococcus aureus (14.75%) were commonly isolated microorganisms. Cephalosporins (77.75%) and aminoglycosides (47%) were commonly used in empirical antibiotic therapy, while nitrofurantoin (47.57%) and penicillins (22.33%) were commonly used in definitive antibiotic therapy. Definitive antibiotic therapy was associated with a reduced duration of hospital stay as compared to empirical antibiotic therapy (p<0.0001).
 Conclusion: Antibiotic prescribing is infrequently influenced by microbiological culture results. Adjustment of the antimicrobial therapy according to microbiological culture results can decrease the duration of hospital stay as well as can decrease the spread of antimicrobial resistance.