Monitoring the use of linezolid in a third-level hospital

Abstract

The inappropriate use of antibiotics is a clinical reality that we are currently facing. The purpose of this observational and retrospective study is to analyze the evolution of linezolid (LNZ) consumption from 2009 to 2017 in general in a third-level hospital and in critical care services, and see if the introduction of the generic LNZ produced an increase in its use. The variables analyzed were: variation of global LNZ consumption by years (%), DDD/100 stays for year of LNZ, variation of consumption in A-R service (%) and variation of consumption in ICU service (%). The increase in LNZ consumption appeared one year before the availability of its generic equivalent. In the critical units, the consumption was affected differently, increasing in A-R to a lesser extent (14.5%) and one year later than in ICU, in which it increased very significantly (54.35%) and coinciding with the access to its generic equivalent (2016). The introduction of the generic LNZ contributed, along with other factors, to explain the increase in consumption of it in our hospital.