Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, General Economics, Econometrics and Finance
14
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Reducing Pharmaceutical and Non-Pharmaceutical Inventory Waste in Tertiary Hospital: Impact of ABC-VEN Analysis in a Zero-Waste Strategy Over 7 Years Menyfah Alanazi, Eyad Alkhadhairi, Waleed Alrumi, and Sami Alajlan Informa UK Limited Aim To evaluate the prevalence and trend of inventory waste in a tertiary hospital over the last 7 years. This included the type and average monetary value (MV) of inventory waste, as well as the outcome of using the Always-Better-Control (ABC)-Vital-Essential-Non-essential (VEN) matrix as part of a Zero-Waste Strategy. Methods This was a retrospective observational study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) over 7 years. Results The prevalence of waste was 0.21%, which equates to (SAR) 15 million out of SAR 7 billion. The pharmaceutical inventory had significantly higher waste in terms of MV and the number of items (89.8%, and 80.3%, respectively) (P<0.001). The expired pharmaceutical inventory had a significantly higher waste of MV than non-moving and obsolete inventory (79.8%, 14.3%, and 5.9%, respectively) (P<0.001). The ABC-VEN matrix categorized the inventory into Category I, which has the highest MV waste at 82.3%, followed by Category II with 16.8%, and then Category III with 0.9%. However, category II had a significantly higher number of wasted items at (58.2%), followed by Category I (24%) and Category III (17.8%) (P<0.01). The majority of MV waste consisted of a small number of pharmaceutical items that had a high clinical impact, representing 66% and 18%, respectively. After implementing a zero-waste strategy for landfills using the ABC-VEN matrix, the prevalence of waste declined from 0.9% to 0.21%. The waste sent to the landfill was zero from 2018 through 2020, saving 73.64% of the total money. Conclusion The use of the ABC-VEN matrix positively impacted the reduction of MV waste. The prevalence and trend rate of inventory waste were lower than the benchmarks of global companies, saving more than two-thirds of the inventory value that would have been wasted. The majority of the wasted MV consisted of a small number of pharmaceutical items that had a significant clinical impact.
Impact of COVID-19 on the Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients during Infection and after Recovery in Saudi Arabia Menyfah Q. Alanazi, Waleed Abdelgawwad, Thamer A. Almangour, Fatma Mostafa, and Mona Almuheed MDPI AG This study evaluated the impact of COVID-19 and other factors on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Saudi patients during infection and after recovery using the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS instruments. An observational prospective study was conducted in November 2022, during which 389 COVID-19 patients were surveyed during their visit to a medical center. Two weeks after their recovery, they were contacted again to re-evaluate their HRQoL (192 patients either refused to participate or withdrew). The mean of the EQ-5D-5L index and EQ-VAS scores significantly increased from (0.69 ± 0.29 and 63.16 ± 24.9) during infection to (0.92 ± 0.14 and 86.96 ± 15.3) after recovery. Specifically, COVID-19 patients experienced improvement of several HRQoL dimensions post recovery, such as better mobility, enhanced self-care, returning to usual activities, less pain/discomfort, and alleviated anxiety/depression. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that having a normal weight, being employed, not being anemic, and previously taking the BCG vaccine were positively associated with a greater change in the HRQoL. An interaction between being asthmatic and taking the influenza vaccine positively predicted a lower change in the HRQoL. Having a normal weight positively predicted a greater change in the perceived health state after recovery. Increasing the consumption of natural supplements (honey and curcuma) did not improve the HRQoL or the perceived health state. Based on these findings, COVID-19 mildly impacted the HRQoL of Saudis with varying effects depending on some socio-demographic/clinical characteristics of the patients.
Evaluation of the Clinical Outcome and Cost Analysis of Antibiotics in the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in the Emergency Department in Saudi Arabia Menyfah Q. Alanazi, Hajar AlQahtani, Thamer A. Almangour, Fadilah Sfouq Aleanizy, and Fulwah Yahya Alqahtani MDPI AG This study aims to assess the prevalence and antibiotic-treatment patterns of respiratory tract infections (RTIs), prevalence and types of antibiotic-prescribing errors, and the cost of inappropriate antibiotic use among emergency department (ED) patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the ED in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patient characteristics (age, sex, weight, allergies, diagnostic tests (CX-Ray), cultures, microorganism types, and prescription characteristics) were studied. During the study, 3185 cases were diagnosed with RTIs: adults (>15 years) 55% and pediatrics (<15 years) 44%. The overall prevalence of RTIs was 21%, differentiated by upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) (URTI 13.4%; LRTI 8.4%), of total visits. Three main antibiotics (ATB) categories were prescribed in both age groups: penicillin (pediatrics 43%; adults 26%), cephalosporin (pediatrics 29%; adults 19%), and macrolide (pediatrics 26%; adults 38%). The prevalence of inappropriate ATB prescriptions was 53% (pediatrics 35%; adults 67%). Errors in ATB included selection (3.3%), dosage (22%), frequency (3%), and duration (32%). There is a compelling need to create antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs to improve antibiotic use due to the high number of prescriptions in the ED deemed as inappropriate. This will help to prevent unwanted consequences on the patients and the community associated with antibiotic use.
Clinical efficacy and cost analysis of antibiotics for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia Menyfah Q Alanazi Informa UK Limited Purpose Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are one of the main reasons for emergency department (ED) visits. Many antibiotics can be used for uUTI treatment. Currently, no data concerning uUTIs and cost-effectiveness have been reported in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to investigate antibiotic and cost-effectiveness of beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and nitrofurantoin as first-line uUTI treatment. Patients and Methods This study was a retrospective cohort based on a five-arm comparative outcome analysis. A cost-effectiveness analysis and comparative group of uUTI treatments in the ED at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC) in Saudi Arabia over a three-month follow-up period was done. The patient group consisted of those presenting to the ED with uUTIs who were treated initially with one of five antibiotics: (1) amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, (2) cefuroxime, (3) ciprofloxacin, (4) nitrofurantoin, or (5) norfloxacin. The main outcomes were effectiveness in terms of cure rates, symptom-free days (SFDs), and estimations of cost-effectiveness among this group. Results A total of 865 adult patients who presented with uUTIs were enrolled. Most patients (89.5%) completely recovered, whereas 10.5% of patients were readmitted to the ED with recurrent infections. Effectiveness in terms of the highest cure rate was observed with nitrofurantoin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (93.2% and 92.2%, respectively) followed by norfloxacin, cefuroxime, and ciprofloxacin; no significant differences in cure rates were found among these antibiotics. Antibiotic effectiveness in terms of SFDs showed that nitrofurantoin produced the longest SFD period (76 days) followed by amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (69 days). A cost-effectiveness analysis in terms of uUTI cure rates and number of SFDs indicated that nitrofurantoin presented the highest cost-effectiveness followed by amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and cefuroxime. Conclusion A comparison of five antibiotics for uUTI treatment did not yield clinically significant differences in cure rates. Nitrofurantoin was more cost-effective than the other antibiotics.
Evaluation of health-related quality of life in women with community-acquired urinary tract infections using the eq-5d-3l in saudi arabia Menyfah Q. Alanazi Informa UK Limited Purpose Community-acquired urinary tract infection (CA-UTI) is a common and costly condition in females. Currently, there are no data on CA-UTI and quality of life (QoL) in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of UTI and related socio-demographic characteristics on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Saudi females using the EuroQol 5-Dimension, 3-Level (EQ-5D-3L) instrument before and after treatment. Patients and Methods This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital over a three-month period. Results A total of 339 out of 524 females with a mean age of 36.2 years (SD: 9.57 years; range 19–59 years) completed both the baseline and follow-up questionnaires of the EQ-5D-3L for a response rate of 64.7%. The baseline utility index for the worst health state “33333” was −0.495 representing 1.18% of the patients, and the full health state “11111” was 1 corresponding to 30.68% of the patients. The utility index after treatment for the moderate health state “22222” was 0.524 corresponding to 0.88% of the total patients, and the full health state “11111” was 1 corresponding to 80.24% of the patients. The mean EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) was 73 ± 26 before treatment and 87.46 ± 18.55 after treatment. The frequency of patients reporting problems in the EQ-5D dimensions of mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression decreased following treatment (27.43% vs 0.88%, 4.42% vs 0.88%, 25.96% vs 6.78%, 61.95% vs 13.27%, 39.52% vs 15.63%, respectively; all P < 0.001). There were statistically significant associations between HRQoL and socio-demographic characteristics, chronic diseases, and herbal supplements. Conclusion Community-acquired tract infections (CA-UTIs) have a significant negative impact on the HRQoL of Saudi females with a varying effect depending on the socio-demographic characteristics and chronic diseases.
An evaluation of antibiotics prescribing patterns in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia Menyfah Q. Alanazi, Mahmoud Salam, Fulwah Y. Alqahtani, Anwar E. Ahmed, Abdullah Qaseem Alenaze, Majed Al-Jeraisy, Majid Al Salamah, Fadilah S. Aleanizy, Daham Al Daham, Saad Al Obaidy,et al. Informa UK Limited Background Antibiotic prescriptions at emergency departments (ED) could be a primary contributing factor to the overuse of antimicrobial agents and subsequently antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of antibiotic prescriptions at an emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study, based on a review of antibiotic prescriptions was conducted. All cases who visited the emergency department over a three-month period with a complaint of infection were analyzed in terms of patient characteristics (age, sex, infection type, and number of visits) and prescription characteristics (antibiotic category, spectrum, course and costs). The World Health Organization and International Network of Rational Use of Drugs prescribing indicators were presented. Descriptive and analytic statistics were applied. Results A total of 36,069 ED visits were recorded during the study period, of which 45,770 drug prescriptions were prescribed, including 6,354 antibiotics. The average number of drugs per encounter was 1.26, while the percentage of encounters with a prescribed antibiotic was 17.6%. Among antibiotic prescriptions, the percentage of encounters with injection antibiotics was 15.2%. Almost 77% of antibiotics were prescribed by their generic names, and the percentage of antibiotics prescribed from the essential list was 100%. Conclusion The average number of drugs per encounter in general and antibiotics per encounter in specific at this setting was lower than the standard value. However, the percentage of antibiotics prescribed by its generic name was less than optimal.
An evaluation of community-acquired urinary tract infection and appropriateness of treatment in an emergency department in Saudi Arabia Menyfah Q. Alanazi Informa UK Limited Introduction
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a serious health problem affecting millions of people every year. Inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions put patients at risk and lead to bacterial resistance and elevated costs.
Aims
Study aims were to assess the prevalence and antibiotic-treatment patterns of community acquired UTIs, prevalence and types of antibiotic-prescribing errors, and the cost of inappropriate antibiotic use.
Methods
This was a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted over a 3-month period in an emergency department in Saudi Arabia.
Results
During the study period, 1,449 patients were diagnosed with UTIs, including pediatric (18.6%), adult (59.2%), and elderly (22.2%) patients. The overall prevalence of UTIs was 9.9% of total visits. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were prescribed for 85% of patients. Three main antibiotics were prescribed: cephalosporin (39%), penicillin (26%), and fluoroquinolone (22%). The overall prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic prescription with at least one type of error was 46.2% (pediatrics 51%, adults 46%, elderly 47%). Errors were dose (37%), duration (11%), frequency (6%), and antibiotic selection (2.4%). Dose error was significantly greater in pediatric patients (P=0.001). Duration error was higher among adults and the elderly (P=0.014). Significantly more inappropriate cephalosporin prescriptions were seen in adults (P=0.001), while penicillin had significantly higher errors in pediatric patients. Positive urine culture was seen in 34.9% of patients, and the most common microorganism was Escherichia coli (51%). The mean cost of care for one episode of UTI was US$134.56±$31.34 (95% CI $132.94-$136.17). Treatment of UTI was more costly in women (63.9% of total cost), adults (59.2%), and those using broad-spectrum antibiotics (86.5%). There were statistically significant associations among sex, age, spectrum of antibiotic, category of antibiotic, and inappropriate cost.
Conclusion
The results revealed a significant level of inappropriate use of antibiotics in the treatment of UTIs in the emergency department.
Prevalence and predictors of antibiotic prescription errors in an emergency department, Central Saudi Arabia Mahmoud Salam, Menyfah Al Anazi, and Majed Al-Jeraisy Informa UK Limited Background Inappropriate antibiotic (ATB) prescriptions are a threat to patients, leading to adverse drug reactions, bacterial resistance, and subsequently, elevated hospital costs. Our aim was to evaluate ATB prescriptions in an emergency department of a tertiary care facility. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing charts of patients complaining of infections. Patient characteristics (age, sex, weight, allergy, infection type) and prescription characteristics (class, dose, frequency, duration) were evaluated for appropriateness based on the AHFS Drug Information and the Drug Information Handbook. Descriptive and analytic statistics were applied. Results Sample with equal sex distribution constituted of 5,752 cases: adults (≥15 years) =61% and pediatrics (<15 years) =39%. Around 55% complained of respiratory tract infections, 25% urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 20% others. Broad-spectrum coverage ATBs were prescribed for 76% of the cases. Before the prescription, 82% of pediatrics had their weight taken, while 18% had their weight estimated. Allergy checking was done in 8% only. Prevalence of inappropriate ATB prescriptions with at least one type of error was 46.2% (pediatrics =58% and adults =39%). Errors were in ATB selection (2%), dosage (22%), frequency (4%), and duration (29%). Dosage and duration errors were significantly predominant among pediatrics (P<0.001 and P<0.0001, respectively). Selection error was higher among adults (P=0.001). Age stratification and binary logistic regression were applied. Significant predictors of inappropriate prescriptions were associated with: 1) cephalosporin prescriptions (adults: P<0.001, adjusted odds ratio [adj OR] =3.31) (pediatrics: P<0.001, adj OR =4.12) compared to penicillin; 2) UTIs (adults: P<0.001, adj OR =2.78) (pediatrics: P=0.039, adj OR =0.73) compared to respiratory tract infections; 3) obtaining weight for pediatrics before the prescription of ATB (P<0.001, adj OR =1.83) compared to those whose weight was estimated; and 4) broad-spectrum ATBs in adults (P=0.002, adj OR =0.67). Conclusion Prevalence of ATB prescription errors in this emergency department was generally high and was particularly common with cephalosporin, narrow-spectrum ATBs, and UTI infections.
Hospital performance indicators and their associated factors in acute child poisoning at a single poison center, central Saudi Arabia Menyfah Q. Alanazi, Majed I. Al-Jeriasy, Mohammed H. Al-Assiri, Lara Y. Afesh, Fahad Alhammad, and Mahmoud Salam Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) AbstractAdmission rate and length of stay (LOS) are two hospital performance indicators that affect the quality of care, patients’ satisfaction, bed turnover, and health cost expenditures. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with higher admission rates and extended average LOS among acutely poisoned children at a single poison center, central Saudi Arabia.This is a cross-sectional, poison and medical chart review between 2009 and 2011. Exposures were child characteristics, that is, gender, age, body mass index (BMI), health history, and Canadian 5-level triage scale. Poison incident characteristics were, that is, type, exposure route, amount, form, home remedy, and arrival time to center. Admission status and LOS were obtained from records. Chronic poisoning, plant allergies, and venomous bites were excluded. Bivariate and regression analyses were applied. Significance at P < 0.05.Of the 315 eligible cases, (72%) were toddlers with equal gender distribution, (58%) had normal BMI, and (77%) were previously healthy. Poison substances were pharmaceutical drugs (63%) versus chemical products (37%). Main exposure route was oral (98%). Home remedy was observed in (21.9%), which were fluids, solutes, and/or gag-induced vomiting. Almost (52%) arrived to center >1 h. Triage levels: non-urgent cases (58%), less urgent (11%), urgent (18%), emergency (12%), resuscitative (1%). Admission rate was (20.6%) whereas av. LOS was 13 ± 22 h. After adjusting and controlling for confounders, older children (adj.OR = 1.19) and more critical triage levels (adj.OR = 1.35) were significantly associated with higher admission rates compared to younger children and less critical triage levels (adj.P = 0.006) and (adj.P = 0.042) respectively. Home remedy prior arrival was significantly associated with higher av. LOS (Beta = 9.48, t = 2.99), compared to those who directly visited the center, adj.P = 0.003.Hospital administrators are cautioned that acutely poisoned children who received home remedies prior arrival are more likely to endure an extended LOS. This non-conventional practice is not recommended.