Prescribing appropriateness and combating antimicrobial resistance: results of a stewardship program
1
1 Medical Board of Directors, ULSS 6 Euganea, Hospital of Cittadella, Cittadella, Italy
2
2 Health Profession Service, ULSS 6 Euganea, Hospital of Cittadella, Cittadella, Italy
3
3 Infection Prevention and Control Specialist Nurse, Hospital of Cittadella, Cittadella, Italy
4
4 Service of Infectious Disease, ULSS 6 Euganea, Hospital of Cittadella, Padua, Italy
5
5 Microbiology Laborator, ULSS 6 Euganea, Hospital of Cittadella, Padua, Italy
6
6 Hospital Pharmacy, ULSS 6 Euganea, Hospital of Cittadella, Cittadella, Italy
7
7 Department of Prevention and Hygiene, ULSS 6 Euganea, Padua, Italy
8
8 Clinical Risk Management, ULSS 6 Euganea, Padua, Italy
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A199
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans is one of the main factors driving the development of resistant pathogens. It is therefore a priority to adopt effective antimicrobial stewardship strategies to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic use. This scenario is particularly critical in the veneto region, where the padua healthcare trust is located.
METHODS:
The local healthcare trust serves nearly one million residents, has four acute care hospitals, and 1300 beds. To increase the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing, the following antimicrobial stewardship measures have been adopted. These strategies include periodic monitoring of reports on the epidemiology of sentinel microorganisms, resistance rates, and antibiotic consumption; discussion of reports in multidisciplinary teams; focus on the operating units with the greatest critical issues; dissemination of guidelines for empiric therapy (pneumonia, urinary tract, skin); and finally the use of digital tools/apps to facilitate consultation of empiric therapy and dissemination of pathogen-specific control and prevention measures for both specialists and medical practitioners.
RESULTS:
Following the introduction of strengthened antimicrobial stewardship strategies, overall antibiotic consumption decreased from 74.55 DDD per 100 bed-days in 2022 to 70.11 in 2024 and 66.29 in 2025. Specifically, fluoroquinolones, classified in the “Watch” group by the WHO due to the risk of resistance development, decreased from 7.8 DDD per 100 bed-days to 5.66 in 2024 and 4.9 in 2025. Carbapenems, also in the Watch group, were reduced from 8.5 in 2022 to 1.2 in 2025 (1.59 in 2024). Finally, third-generation cephalosporins decreased from 14.7 in 2022 to 14.2 in 2024 and 13.8 in 2025.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study demonstrates how raising awareness of antibiotic resistance, implementing effective antimicrobial stewardship measures, and digitalization are essential to contain this phenomenon, which is considered by the WHO to be a global health threat.
The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans is one of the main factors driving the development of resistant pathogens. It is therefore a priority to adopt effective antimicrobial stewardship strategies to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic use. This scenario is particularly critical in the veneto region, where the padua healthcare trust is located.
METHODS:
The local healthcare trust serves nearly one million residents, has four acute care hospitals, and 1300 beds. To increase the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing, the following antimicrobial stewardship measures have been adopted. These strategies include periodic monitoring of reports on the epidemiology of sentinel microorganisms, resistance rates, and antibiotic consumption; discussion of reports in multidisciplinary teams; focus on the operating units with the greatest critical issues; dissemination of guidelines for empiric therapy (pneumonia, urinary tract, skin); and finally the use of digital tools/apps to facilitate consultation of empiric therapy and dissemination of pathogen-specific control and prevention measures for both specialists and medical practitioners.
RESULTS:
Following the introduction of strengthened antimicrobial stewardship strategies, overall antibiotic consumption decreased from 74.55 DDD per 100 bed-days in 2022 to 70.11 in 2024 and 66.29 in 2025. Specifically, fluoroquinolones, classified in the “Watch” group by the WHO due to the risk of resistance development, decreased from 7.8 DDD per 100 bed-days to 5.66 in 2024 and 4.9 in 2025. Carbapenems, also in the Watch group, were reduced from 8.5 in 2022 to 1.2 in 2025 (1.59 in 2024). Finally, third-generation cephalosporins decreased from 14.7 in 2022 to 14.2 in 2024 and 13.8 in 2025.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study demonstrates how raising awareness of antibiotic resistance, implementing effective antimicrobial stewardship measures, and digitalization are essential to contain this phenomenon, which is considered by the WHO to be a global health threat.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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