Forty-five participants were recruited to eight focus groups, run concurrently in Australia (23 participants in four

groups) and the UK (22 participants in four groups). Participants were provided with amended leaflets based on the medicine clopidogrel, containing textual and numerical benefit information presented BMS-354825 ic50 using numbers needed to treat (NNT). A topic guide which explored use of leaflets, preferences and opinions was used to direct discussion. Focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim and content analysed using adapted cross-case study analysis. The consensus was that the inclusion of benefit information was a positive factor. Many participants felt that textual benefit information offered an incentive to take a medicine, although some Australian participants had concerns that included benefit information could create anxiety. The presentation of numerical benefit information provoked strong feelings of disbelief and shock. Participants were surprised that so few people would click here benefit. Some participants struggled to understand and interpret the NNT and others found it difficult to comprehend the magnitude

of the benefit information, instead operating on initial and often crude assumptions of what the data meant. In both countries the provision of numerical benefit information appeared to shake participants’ faith in drug treatments. Participants were concerned about how this might affect the ‘less-informed’ patient. However, in the UK, participants stated that their adherence to treatment was also reinforced by their doctor’s stiripentol advice. Participants wanted to receive information about the benefits of their medicines. However, they may misinterpret the numerical information provided. “
“Objective  The purpose of this study was to describe antimicrobial utilization, consumption, indications and microbial resistance in a medical-surgical-trauma intensive care unit (ICU) of a teaching hospital

to identify potential targets for antimicrobial stewardship. Methods  This was a 30-day prospective observational study enrolling adults admitted to the ICU for at least 24 h and having received antimicrobial therapy. Primary endpoints included utilization as percentage use of antimicrobials by class and agent, consumption measured as days of therapy per 1000 patient days (DOT/1000PD), indications for use and prescriber. Secondary endpoints included reasons for modifications to therapy and microbial resistance. Key findings  Eighty-three patients were screened and 61 enrolled, receiving 133 courses of antimicrobial therapy, mainly intravenously and prescribed by ICU staff. The most frequently prescribed agents were piperacillin/tazobactam (20%), cefazolin (17%) and vancomycin (13%). The indications for therapy were empirical (50%), directed (27%) and prophylactic (23%). Overall consumption was 1368.