Twenty-six percent of patients with a recent Clostridium difficile infection received only unnecessary antimicrobials, according to a study in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
Researchers studied 246 patients with new-onset CDI diagnosed at Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center from January 2004 through December 2006. Two infectious disease physicians evaluated the use of non-CDI antimicrobials (those that are inactive against C. diff), which they defined as unnecessary if not fully indicated.
Data showed 57 percent of patients received non-CDI antimicrobials during and/or after their CDI treatment, and 77 percent received at least one unnecessary antimicrobial dose. Twenty-six percent of patients received only unnecessary antimicrobials.
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Researchers studied 246 patients with new-onset CDI diagnosed at Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center from January 2004 through December 2006. Two infectious disease physicians evaluated the use of non-CDI antimicrobials (those that are inactive against C. diff), which they defined as unnecessary if not fully indicated.
Data showed 57 percent of patients received non-CDI antimicrobials during and/or after their CDI treatment, and 77 percent received at least one unnecessary antimicrobial dose. Twenty-six percent of patients received only unnecessary antimicrobials.
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