The effect of antimicrobial resistance on patient outcomes: importance of proper evaluation of appropriate therapy

doi:10.1186/cc7136

Critical Care

Volume 13
Issue 1

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Commentary

The effect of antimicrobial resistance on patient outcomes: importance of proper evaluation of appropriate therapy

Mitchell J Schwaber¹ and Yehuda Carmeli²

¹National Center for Infection Control, Israel Ministry of Health, 6 Weizmann St., Tel Aviv 64239, Israel

²Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Tel Aviv Medical Center, 6 Weizmann St., Tel Aviv 64239, Israel

author email corresponding author email

Critical Care 2009, 13:106doi:10.1186/cc7136


Published:	12 January 2009

See related research by Depuydt et al., http://ccforum.com/content/12/6/R142

Abstract

The impact of antimicrobial resistance on patient outcomes can be effectively measured only if the appropriateness of the antimicrobial therapy received is properly measured. Definition of appropriate therapy should include not only in vitro susceptibility but also the clinical adequacy of the antibiotic used, taking into account the pathogen isolated, the site of infection, known pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the drug, and dosing. In the absence of these data, the effect of delay or absence of appropriate therapy in patients infected with resistant bacterial pathogens is subject to confounding, and the true effect of resistance on outcomes may be obscured.