Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington Street, Box 238, Boston, MA, 02111, USA,
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2013 Nov;32(11):1465-70. doi: 10.1007/s10096-013-1899-4. Epub 2013 Jun 1.
Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) services are not well developed in the Republic of Ireland. A national programme is being instituted to standardise care. This survey aims to assess the current use of outpatient intravenous antibiotics and to quantify the needs that physicians identify in the development of a national programme. General medical consultant physicians and clinical microbiology consultants were contacted through the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) from April to June 2012. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. A total of 512 physicians were contacted, of which 55 (10.7 %) responded. The majority, 38/55 (69 %), practice general internal medicine in combination with a medical specialty, 2 (4 %) general internal medicine alone, 8 (15 %) clinical microbiology and 7 (13 %) a medical specialty alone. Of those practising a medical specialty, 12 (27 %) practice infectious diseases. Seventy-four percent reported having discharged patients with intravenous antibiotics; however, 47 % did not have a designated service available. Of those with no service, 100 % identified a need for these resources. Of those responsible for an OPAT service, 56 % had not audited their service. The most common indications were skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis and respiratory tract infection. Flucloxacillin was the most commonly reported antibiotic. Eleven percent responded that they never monitor laboratory studies for patients discharged with intravenous antibiotics. While OPAT services in Ireland are not well developed, patients are being discharged with intravenous antibiotics. This survey underscores the need to develop the national programme to standardise care and ensure patients receive safe and efficient therapy.
爱尔兰共和国的门诊静脉用抗菌药物治疗（OPAT）服务尚未得到充分发展。目前正在实施一项国家计划以规范治疗。本调查旨在评估目前门诊静脉用抗生素的使用情况，并量化医生在制定国家计划方面所确定的需求。2012 年 4 月至 6 月，通过爱尔兰皇家内科医师学院（RCPI）联系了普通内科顾问医师和临床微生物学顾问医师。使用 SPSS 版本 20 对数据进行分析。共联系了 512 名医生，其中 55 名（10.7%）做出了回应。大多数医生（38/55，69%）结合内科专业实践普通内科，2 名（4%）仅实践普通内科，8 名（15%）为临床微生物学，7 名（13%）为内科专业。在从事内科专业的医生中，有 12 名（27%）从事传染病学。74%的医生报告已为患者出院带静脉用抗生素，但 47%的医生没有指定的服务。在没有服务的医生中，100%的人认为需要这些资源。负责 OPAT 服务的医生中，56%没有审核其服务。最常见的指征是皮肤和软组织感染、骨髓炎和呼吸道感染。氟氯西林是最常报告的抗生素。11%的医生表示，他们从不监测出院带静脉用抗生素患者的实验室研究。尽管爱尔兰的 OPAT 服务尚未得到充分发展，但仍有患者出院带静脉用抗生素。本调查强调需要制定国家计划以规范治疗并确保患者接受安全有效的治疗。
