Vol. 40 No. 3 (2023): Junio
Clinical Expreience

Evaluation of colistin use in a highly complex hospital

Cristóbal Monzón T.
Universidad de Chile
Roberto Olivares Castillo
Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile
Bio
Fernanda Ávila O.
Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile
Matilde Lagos P.
Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile
Mario Luppi N.
Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile

Published 2023-06-30

How to Cite

1.
Monzón T. C, Olivares Castillo R, Ávila O. F, Lagos P. M, Luppi N. M. Evaluation of colistin use in a highly complex hospital. Rev. Chilena. Infectol. [Internet]. 2023 Jun. 30 [cited 2026 Mar. 26];40(3). Available from: https://revinf.cl/index.php/revinf/article/view/1592

Abstract

Background: The increase in resistance and the shortage of new antibiotics has led to the reintroduction of old antimicrobials such as colistin. Aim: To evaluate the use of colistin during 2017 in a university hospital, through the characterization of patients and treatment, associated microbiology, response to treatment and adverse effects. Methods: Retrospective observational design. The data of all patients who received colistin for at least 48 hours during the year 2017 were reviewed. Results: 55 patients were included, equivalent to 144 treatments. The respiratory focus was the main one (57.9%). 64% of the treatments began in the ICU, while 7% in the ward. Most of the patients has a recent hospitalization (86.8%) and has previous use of antibiotics (90.4%). The two main pathogens identified were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp. In 87.1%of the cases with microbiological justifications for the use of colistin, a favorable response was obtained. The average consumption of colistin was 2.4 DDD/100 beds/day. The department that consumed the most colistin was the ICU, with 45,5 DDD/100 beds/day, generally using a dose of 3 MIU every 8 hours IV and with low use of loading doses. Conclusion: Colistin corresponds to an antibiotic whose use is restricted to infections suspected or confirmed by multi-resistant bacterial agents. Its initial use in this serie was mainly empirical, in patients with risk factors for antibiotics resistance, it was used in association with other antimicrobials, being the respiratory the main infectious focus.