Patient Characteristics and Outcomes of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy: A Retrospective Study
Table 1
OPAT patient characteristics and outcomes.
Variables
Total ()
Return to ED or readmission ()
No return to ED or readmission ()
value
Age, years [median (IQR)]
63 (43–74)
64 (43–74)
61 (45–75)
0.95
Male
65 (63%)
28 (58%)
37 (66%)
0.42
Length of stay, days [median (IQR)]
7 (6–10)
7 (6–10)
7 (6–10)
0.28
Admitting service
Medical
47 (45%)
23 (48%)
24 (43%)
0.61
Surgical
57 (55%)
25 (52%)
32 (57%)
0.61
Prior admission within past 12 months
59 (57%)
31 (65%)
28 (50%)
0.13
History of antibiotic-resistant organisms
24 (23%)
13 (27%)
11 (20%)
0.37
Comorbidities
Hypertension
46 (44%)
24 (50%)
22 (39%)
0.27
Diabetes
29 (28%)
18 (38%)
11 (20%)
0.04
Gastrointestinal disease
29 (28%)
16 (33%)
13 (23%)
0.25
Cancer
27 (26%)
17 (35%)
10 (18%)
0.04
Coronary artery disease
23 (22%)
7 (15%)
16 (29%)
0.09
Peripheral vascular disease
13 (13%)
6 (13%)
7 (13%)
1.00
Arrhythmia
12 (12%)
5 (10%)
7 (13%)
0.74
Documented follow-up plan at discharge
Admitting service
71 (68%)
32 (67%)
39 (70%)
0.75
Infectious diseases
58 (56%)
27 (56%)
31 (55%)
0.93
Family physician
35 (34%)
13 (27%)
22 (39%)
0.19
Most common antimicrobials
Ceftriaxone
22 (21%)
10 (21%)
12 (21%)
0.94
Cefazolin
21 (20%)
8 (17%)
13 (23%)
0.41
Piperacillin-tazobactam
15 (14%)
4 (8%)
11 (20%)
0.10
Cloxacillin
15 (14%)
10 (21%)
5 (9%)
0.08
Vancomycin
14 (13%)
6 (13%)
8 (14%)
0.79
Ertapenem
13 (13%)
8 (17%)
5 (9%)
0.23
Syndrome
Surgical site infection
34 (33%)
14 (29%)
20 (36%)
0.48
Osteoarticular infection2
29 (28%)
13 (27%)
16 (29%)
0.87
Bacteremia
22 (21%)
14 (29%)
8 (11%)
0.06
Cellulitis
18 (17%)
9 (19%)
9 (16%)
0.72
Urinary tract infection
16 (15%)
12 (25%)
4 (7%)
0.01
Endocarditis
7 (7%)
4 (8%)
3 (5%)
0.70
Patient outcomes3
No events
56 (54%)
—
56 (100%)
—
Events due to infection relapse
17 (16%)
17 (35%)
—
—
Events due to treatment failure
6 (6%)
6 (13%)
—
—
Events due to OPAT-related complications
11 (11%)
11 (23%)
—
—
Events due to unrelated causes
14 (13%)
14 (29%)
—
—
Values are expressed as number (%) unless otherwise stated. Less commonly used antimicrobials included ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, meropenem, clindamycin, fluconazole, cephalexin, rifampin, ceftazidime, ampicillin, penicillin G, nitrofurantoin, doxycycline, and voriconazole. Including 4 cases of diabetic foot infections and 1 case of prosthetic joint infection. Event defined as readmission or emergency department (ED) visit within 60 days of discharge. IQR: interquartile range.
