Utilization pattern and outcomes of piperacillin-tazobactam in a multispecialty hospital: A cross-sectional analysis

Objectives To evaluate the utilization of piperacillin and tazobactam (PTZ) by identifying appropriate and inappropriate use, assessing empirical versus culture-guided use and rationality based on Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines, analyzing the distribution of infection sites, and examining patient-centered outcomes such as hospital mortality, length of stay, and duration of treatment. Material and Methods A 6-month cross-sectional study at Multispeciality Hospital in Chennai, India, involving 245 participants was conducted. Consenting patients were assessed upon admission. The study also assessed antibiotic use based on IDSA recommendations. Results In this study, the most frequent indication for piperacillin and tazobactam (PTZ) use was urinary tract infection (26.1%). The most commonly prescribed dosage was 4.5 g every 8 hours, with the most typical treatment duration being 1-5 days. PTZ was primarily prescribed empirically (64%). Mean length of hospital stay (LOS) was 8.56±5.2 days. Appropriate use of the drug was most often observed in cases of urinary tract and respiratory tract infections. Patient outcomes showed improvement in 64.9% of cases, no improvement in 16.8%, and mortality in 18.4% of patients. Conclusion The study highlights the extensive utilization of PTZ in a multispecialty hospital, leading to considerable medication exposure among patients. Severity scores for mortality and morbidity were employed to evaluate survivorship bias. The most frequently observed infection leading to inpatient mortality was associated with a short duration of hospital stay for the majority of patients.