Antimicrobial Dispensing Practice in Community Pharmacies in Russia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article Infectious Diseases

The impact of COVID-19 on community antibiotic use in Canada: an ecological study

Braden D. Knight et al.

Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the dispensing of antibiotics in the community in Canada decreased by 26.5%, with the most significant decrease in prescription rates observed in children and older adults.

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION (2022)

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Article Infectious Diseases

Secondary infections in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: incidence and predictive factors

Marco Ripa et al.

Summary: The study aimed to describe the incidence and predictive factors of secondary infections in COVID-19 patients. Risk factors identified for secondary infections included low lymphocyte count, baseline PaO2/FiO2 decrease, and ICU admission within the first 48 hours.

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION (2021)

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Article Infectious Diseases

Nosocomial infections associated to COVID-19 in the intensive care unit: clinical characteristics and outcome

Tommaso Bardi et al.

Summary: Co-infection of bacteria and fungi is common in ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients and usually presents as a severe form of infection, associated with a high mortality rate and longer ICU stay.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES (2021)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

Azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial

P. W. Horby et al.

Summary: Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 due to its immunomodulatory actions. However, a study in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 showed that azithromycin did not improve survival or other clinical outcomes. Its use should be restricted to patients with a clear antimicrobial indication.

LANCET (2021)

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Review Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Antibiotics in treatment of COVID-19 complications: a review of frequency, indications, and efficacy

Marie Chedid et al.

Summary: This review found a high frequency of antibiotic usage among hospitalized Covid-19 patients, mainly in an empirical setting, with no proven efficacy. Further research to determine relevant indications for antibiotic use in Covid-19 patients is critical due to the significant mortality associated with secondary infections and rising antimicrobial resistance.

JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH (2021)

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Article Infectious Diseases

Hospital antibiotic prescribing patterns in adult patients according to the WHO Access, Watch and Reserve classification (AWaRe): results from a worldwide point prevalence survey in 69 countries

Ines Pauwels et al.

Summary: The study analyzed antibiotic use data from 664 hospitals in 69 countries from 2015 to 2018, and found significant variations in AWaRe prescribing patterns globally, especially in the therapeutic and prophylactic use of Watch antibiotics. The WHO AWaRe classification plays a crucial role in assessing and informing stewardship activities at local and national levels.

JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY (2021)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

Sales of antibiotics and hydroxychloroquine in India during the COVID-19 epidemic: An interrupted time series analysis

Giorgia Sulis et al.

Summary: The study indicates a significant increase in antibiotic sales, particularly azithromycin, during the peak phase of the first COVID-19 epidemic wave in India, highlighting the urgent need for antibiotic stewardship measures.

PLOS MEDICINE (2021)

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Review Pharmacology & Pharmacy

COVID the Catalyst for Evolving Professional Role Identity? A Scoping Review of Global Pharmacists' Roles and Services as a Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kaitlyn E. Watson et al.

Summary: This study found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists' roles and services not only involve public health, information, and medication management, but also include the evolution of professional role identity. The pharmacy profession needs to learn from the experience of this global pandemic, and not let the momentum of visible and invisible changes go to waste.

PHARMACY (2021)

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Article Infectious Diseases

An observational cohort study of bacterial co-infection and implications for empirical antibiotic therapy in patients presenting with COVID-19 to hospitals in North West London

Liyang Wang et al.

Summary: The study found that bacterial co-infection was rare in COVID-19 patients within 48 hours of hospital admission. Most patients received empirical antibiotic treatment, and there were no significant differences in age, gender, comorbidities, ICU admission, and 30-day all-cause mortality between patients with and without bacterial co-infections. However, patients with bacterial co-infections had significantly higher inflammatory markers.

JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY (2021)

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Article Critical Care Medicine