Zużycie antybiotyków w wielodyscyplinarnym oddziale intensywnej terapii w pandemii COVID-19 w porównaniu z okresem sprzed pandemii - analiza retrospektywna.

Introduction. Inappropriate antibiotic therapy is responsible for the selection of multi-drug resistant strains and may pose a significant public health problem. During the COVID-19 pandemic, due to lack of evidence-based knowledge, the approach to antibiotic therapy varied between hospitals and predominantly depended on local protocols and individual physicians' decisions. The aim of this study was to assess antibiotic consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period in critically ill subjects in a tertiary intensive care unit (ICU). Methods. The annual changes in antibiotic consumption from 2018 until 2022 in a multidisciplinary ICU was analyzed retrospectively. Data on antibiotic consumption were obtained from the hospital pharmacy and calculated as daily defined dose (DDD) for individual groups of drugs. Results. During the pandemic period, fewer hospitalizations were observed, but they were longer. The overall antibiotic consumption in critically ill patients decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period. Among particular group of drugs, only aminoglycosides and clindamycin were prescribed more frequently. Conclusions. During COVID-19, the overall antibiotic consumption decreased, requiring further research to determine the reasons for this favorable trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]