Application of ATC/DDD-system for correction and control of antibiotics use in treatment of prosthetic joints infection.

We have studied antibiotics use for treatment of prosthetic joints infection before and after implementation of the recommendations for antibiotic therapy. The recommendations are based on an analysis of the structure and drug resistance of 938 strains isolated from 618 patients with periprosthetic infection who were treated at the Department of Purulent Surgery from 2007 till 2009. The Department’s complete antibiotics use data in the period from 2007 till 2010 were processed according to the ATC/DDD system and expressed in defined daily doses (DDD) per 100 bed-days. In 2010 after introduction into practice of the recommendations, it has been shown that the total antibiotics use was reduced and the spectrum of antibiotics with antistaphylococcal activity was widened. Besides, the DDD-analysis of antibiotics use together with microbiological monitoring of the leading infection agents allows to make an expert examination of medicine use effectiveness and can be used for optimization and control of antibiotic therapy.