Azithromycin consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia, 2020
Autor: | Josip Begovac, Ana Soldo, Nikolina Bogdanić, Loris Mocibob, Toni Vidović |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2022 |
Předmět: |
Viral Diseases
Databases Factual Epidemiology Azithromycin Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Geographical locations Medical Conditions Mycoplasma Anti-Infective Agents Antibiotics Pandemic Medicine and Health Sciences Medicine Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Hospital pharmacy Practice Patterns Physicians' Virus Testing Multidisciplinary Antimicrobials Drugs Bacterial Pathogens Anti-Bacterial Agents Europe Hospitalization Infectious Diseases Medical Microbiology Drug Therapy Combination Pathogens Research Article medicine.drug Hydroxychloroquine Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Croatia Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Science Mollicutes Microbiology Antiviral Agents COVID-19 pandemic 2020 Diagnostic Medicine Microbial Control Humans European Union Medical prescription Microbial Pathogens Pandemics Pharmacology Consumption (economics) Bacteria business.industry SARS-CoV-2 Organisms Biology and Life Sciences Covid 19 Drug Utilization COVID-19 Drug Treatment Co-Infections Initial phase People and places business Demography |
Zdroj: | PLoS ONE, Vol 17, Iss 2, p e0263437 (2022) PLoS ONE |
Popis: | Background During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was great enthusiasm for the use of azithromycin with or without hydroxychloroquine. Objectives We analyzed azithromycin consumption in Croatia in 2020 and compared this to the period 2017–2019. Methods Azithromycin consumption was evaluated using the IQVIA Adriatic d.o.o. database which collects data on azithromycin distribution from wholesale pharmacies to hospital and non-hospital pharmacies in Croatia. We analyzed data for the period from January 2017 to December 2020. Azithromycin distribution was measured as days of therapy (DOT) and reported as per 1000 inhabitants or per 1000 inhabitant-days. Results In the period 2017–2020, total azithromycin DOT in Croatia increased in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 (1.76, 1.91, 1.91 and 2.01/1000 inhabitant-days, respectively). Non-hospital pharmacies received 2.18 times and hospital pharmacies 4.39 times more DOT units/1000 inhabitants of azithromycin in March 2020 compared to the average distribution rate in March 2017–2019. During the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic (November and December 2020) azithromycin distribution increased considerably in hospital (3.62 and 3.19 times, respectively) and non-hospital pharmacies (1.93 and 1.84 times, respectively) compared to the average consumption in the same months in 2017–2019. Conclusions Our data showed increased azithromycin distribution in the period 2017–2020 which indicates azithromycin overuse. Preliminary information on COVID-19 treatments with a desire to offer and try what is available even in the absence of strong scientific evidence may have influenced practices of antimicrobial prescriptions. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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