ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2006; 23 (1): 39-44

   Original article

APPLICATION OF ATC/DDD METHODOLOGY TO COMPARE A ANTIBIOTIC UTILIZATION DURING A TWO-MONTH PERIOD IN TWO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SURGICAL DEPARTMENTS

Gordana Pesic, Zorica Jovic, Karin Vasic

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Faculty of Medicine, University of Nis, Serbia

    SUMMARY

    The aim of the study was to analyze the overall drug consumption, compare antibiotic utilization in particular, and evaluate whether sound principles of surgical prophylaxis were applied at the Urology Clinics of two hospitals.
    The study was carried out at the Urology Clinics of the Department of Surgery, Clinical Center in Nis and Institute of Surgery, University Teaching Hospital in Novi Sad, Serbia. Antimicrobial consumption was calculated during a two-month period as the number of Defined Daily Doses (DDDs) per 100 bed days (BD) for all antiinfectives for systemic use, i.e. group J of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and for classes of this group. This method allows us to determine drug consumption irrespective of the period of time over which consumption is monitored.
    Antibiotics were the most frequently prescribed drug group at the Urology Clinic in Nis amounting to 263.54 DDD/100 BD (43.05% of total drug consumption). Co-trimoxazole (204.35 DDD/100 BD), quinolones (29.81 DDD/100 BD) and aminoglycosides (18.88 DDD/100 BD) were mostly prescribed. In Novi Sad, antibiotic utilisation amounted to 224.85 DDD/100 BD. Similarly, co-trimoxazole was most frequently prescribed (129.03 DDD/100 BD), followed by cephalosporins (43,54 DDD/100 BD) and aminoglycosides (20.5 DDD/100 BD).
    In most instances, the chosen antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis were in accordance with international guidelines. However, an overuse was noted extending to the postoperative period. We believe that indications for antimicrobial use still need critical evaluation and that irrational use should be discouraged.

    Key words: antibiotic utilization, surgical prophylaxis, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification, Defined Daily Doses