To evaluate the environmental benefit of implementing a sustainable protocol for antibiotic administration in critically-ill patients.
Approach:
Study Design: Retrospective comparison of two 8-month periods in a polyvalent ICU, focusing on four β-lactam antibiotics.
Sustainable Protocol: Implementation of a protocol for preparing the highest stable concentration of antibiotics for continuous administration through a 50 mL syringe.
Data Collection: Collected data on patient severity, ICU length of stay, mortality, treatment duration, GHG emissions, and waste.
Key Findings:
GHG emissions for the four β-lactam antibiotics reduced by 52% from 2760 g to 1380 g per treatment.
Global reduction of GHG emissions totaled 361.72 kg.
Plastic consumption reduced by 48% (-61 kg), and treatment costs decreased by 48% (-1324 €).
Total nursing time for preparation was 145 hours shorter during the second period.
ICU length of stay and mortality rates did not differ significantly between the two periods.
Interpretation:
The implementation of a sustainable protocol for continuous β-lactam antibiotics significantly reduced environmental impact without compromising patient outcomes.
Limitations:
The precise CO2 equivalent of materials used can vary based on methodology.
Duration of antibiotic treatments between the two periods was not identical.
Conclusion:
Optimizing drug dilutions for continuous infusion of β-lactam antibiotics can effectively reduce GHG emissions, waste, and costs.
