Evaluation of rational prescribing of colistin in the treatment wards of Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad

Document Type : Orginal Article

Authors
Emad Yahyaei
Mohammad Saleh Fadaei
Sepideh Elyasi
Zinat Heidari
Niloofar Saber Moghaddam
Mahnaz Arian
Vahid Ghavami
Omid Arasteh
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
Abstract
Introduction and Objective: Colistin is an old antibiotic, but the last line of treatment for resistant gram-negative infections, and with the increase in antibiotic resistance, its use has increased in combating Gram-negative infections such as Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rational prescription of colistin in the treatment wards of Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad.
Materials and Methods: The study was cross-sectional and included 679 patients hospitalized in different hospital departments over a period of one year who had received colistin. Information on patient demographics, prescription type, laboratory results, and disease course was collected and analyzed.
Results: The findings showed that most patients in the burn ward and intensive care unit were burn patients and 35.5% of them started taking the drug empirically, while 13.2% started taking it without indication. Drug dose modification was performed in 183 patients and 81.4% of cultured samples had multi drug resistant or extensively drug resistant infections.
Conclusion: Based on the results, errors in colistin administration are common in some settings and require stronger educational and monitoring programs. These measures can improve treatment outcomes, reduce costs, and control antibiotic resistance.
Keywords
colistin
gram-negative
rational prescribing assessment
antibiotic resistance