Time series analysis of antibacterial usage and bacterial resistance in China: observations from a tertiary hospital from 2014 to 2018

PURPOSE: To describe trends and correlation between antibacterial exposure and bacterial resistance from hospitalized patients in a hospital in southern China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study used hospital-wide data regarding antimicrobial resistance and consumption between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018. Antibacterial consumption was expressed as antimicrobial use density (AUD). The changes in trends and associations between antibacterial utilization and resistance were analyzed using linear regression and time series analysis. RESULTS: The total AUD of all antimicrobials decreased year by year (50.66 in 2014 vs 44.28 in 2018, P=0.03). The annual use of antimicrobials, such as penicillins, monobactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, and lincosamides, significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the annual use of quinolones and tetracyclines significantly increased (P<0.05). Among the top ten isolated bacteria, antimicrobial resistance trends of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis significantly decreased (P<0.05). Significant positive correlation was found between AUD of carbapenems and resistance rate of Acinetobacter baumannii to imipenem (β=32.87, P<0.01), as well as the correlation between AUD of quinolones and resistance rate of Enterococcus faecium to levofloxacin (β=104.40, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The consumption of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance has been significantly improved in this tertiary hospital. Additionally, the efforts of China’s antibiotic management may be suggested by the relationship between indicated antibiotic resistance and consumption. However, overall AUD levels and poor control of the use of antibiotics, such as quinolones and tetracyclines, still require strengthened management.