The objective of the study, carried out at the Strasbourg University Hospital (France), was to assess the quality of prescriptions for antimicrobial agents (fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides and amoxicillin / clavulanate) in a university clinic. During the study, data were collected on the appointment of antibacterial drugs in the hospital and compared with local recommendations and international practical recommendations. The evaluation of antibiotic prescriptions was carried out on the basis of the choice of a specific drug, the prescription conditions (dose, route of administration, administration regimen, duration of treatment), the evaluation of the efficacy of antibiotic therapy after 48 to 72 hours and of the adaptation of the dose of aminoglycosides depending on the serum concentration of the drugs.

The study included 63 patients who were prescribed 67 antibacterial drugs. It turned out that the choice of antibiotic was considered appropriate in 67% of prescriptions. The dose was adequate in 94% of the cases and the drug regimen was prescribed in 97% of the cases. The route of drug administration was preferred in half of the patients. The duration of treatment was in accordance with the recommendations in 94% of the antibiotic prescriptions. The efficacy of the antibiotic therapy prescribed after 48 to 72 hours was evaluated in 66% of the cases. An adjustment of the dose of aminoglycosides (if necessary) was carried out in a third of the cases. By combining all the criteria for assessing the quality of the prescription of antibacterial drugs, it turned out that in general, consistency with local and international practical recommendations in all respects was only observed in 44% of case.

Thus, according to the results of the study, the authors conclude that to improve the quality of antimicrobial therapy in the hospital, a wider introduction of treatment protocols into routine clinical practice, a mandatory evaluation of the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy after 48-72 hours and conducting institutional training courses for the appointment of new drugs, as well as a periodic evaluation of the practice of prescribing antibiotics in a hospital.