Antimicrobial use and Pseudomonas aeruginosa susceptibility profile in a cystic fibrosis centre

The susceptibility patterns of 1315 mucoid and non-mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from 224 patients were determined along with antibiotic utilisation in a Cystic Fibrosis Centre from 1993 to1997. Ceftazidime was the most active agent (86.0% sensitive isolates), followed by piperacillin-tazobactam (81.7%), aztreonam (80.3%), imipenem (80%), piperacillin (76.8%), tobramycin (76.5%), ciprofloxacin (73.7%), ticarcillin (72.4%), ticarcillin-clavulanic acid (70.2%), amikacin (69.5%), netilmicin (56.5%), meropenem (79%) and imipenem (75.5%). The most frequently used compounds were nebulized colistin (mean ± S.D., 109 ± 45 defined daily doses per 1000 patients per day), followed by ciprofloxacin (98 ± 8), tobramycin (55 ± 9), ceftazidime (31 ± 8) and amikacin (55 ± 9). The mean antibiotic consumption by our CF patients was 413 ± 47 defined daily doses per 1000 patients per day. Trend testing showed a significant decline of susceptibility to aminoglycosides, imipenem and ciprofloxacin, while the susceptibility of P. aeruginosa to piperacillin and ceftazidime was stable.