NEW TAGS FOR REPORTING ON ANTIBIOTIC-ASSOCIATED C.DIFF PRESCRIPTIONS
Posted in News
Rx-info has updated the Clostridium difficile risk antimicrobials in Define and Refine from April 5th this year.
These updates come after discussions with the RPS Antimicrobial Expert Advisory Group following the publication of an evidence summary by NICE on the antibiotics most widely associated with C.diff infection.
This Tag now includes carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam and ticarcillin/clavulanic acid, in addition to the “four Cs” of cephalosporins, ciprofloxacin (and other quinolones), clindamycin and co-amoxiclav previously reported on by this Tag. The Tag for C.diff low-risk antibiotics has also been updated in line with these changes.
Consequently, two new Tags are now available: ‘Abx C difficile (2016 on) lower risk’ and ‘Abx C difficile (2016 on) risk antimicrobials’. They are now included in the “Benchmark > Antimicrobial” prescribing nodes.
If you need to use the original “four Cs” tag, please use a Custom report and the two Abx Tags without the 2016 reference.
Another new report is available under “Antimicrobial prescribing > Antibacterials” which compares the usage of the carbapenem groups, piperacillin/tazobactam and carbapenem-sparing antibiotics (aztreonam, fosfomycin, pivmecillinam and temocillin) as defined daily doses (DDD) in the last 12 months.