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. 2023 Feb 3;12(2):318.
doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12020318.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Antibiotic Consumption in Navarre (Spain): An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

Natalia Alzueta  1   2 , Amaya Echeverría  2   3 , Patricia García  2   3 , Lorea Sanz  2   3 , Alberto Gil-Setas  2   4 , Xabier Beristain  2   4 , Pablo Aldaz  2   5 , Javier Garjón  2   3
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Antibiotic Consumption in Navarre (Spain): An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

Natalia Alzueta et al. Antibiotics (Basel). .

Abstract

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) a global pandemic. This exceptional situation changed the world not only in terms of mortality and morbidity, but also in terms of epidemiology and health system resources consumption. The objective of this work was to analyze the consumption of antibiotics during the period around the pandemic in our region. A drug utilization study was performed comparing the antibiotic consumption in the community during the years 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. Quarterly antibiotic use (defined daily doses (DDD) per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID)) and number of patients treated were the outcomes. Interrupted time series regression analysis was performed to estimate the statistical significance of the change in level of consumption before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The drop of global antibiotic consumption was statistically significant, both in number of patients and in DID when analyzing pre-pandemic period versus pandemic period. The use of strategic antibiotics for respiratory infections such as amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and levofloxacin also decreased significantly. Seasonal pattern of use of antibiotics disappeared due to the global measures imposed over the world to work against COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; antibiotic; primary care.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of patients treated with systemic antibiotics between the years 2018 and 2021 (year-quarter).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of patients treated with an antibiotic between the years 2018 and 2021 (year-quarter).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patients treated with considered critical antibiotics among the years 2018 and 2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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