Publication
Title
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community antibiotic consumption in the EU/European Economic Area : a changepoint analysis
Author
Abstract
Objectives A decrease in community antibiotic consumption in Europe has been observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The magnitude of this decrease, how fast after the outbreak it occurred, whether it was sustained during the pandemic and whether the seasonal variation in antibiotic consumption was affected, have not yet been evaluated in detail.Methods Data on community antibiotic consumption were available from the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network for 28 EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries between 2010 and 2021. Antibiotic consumption was expressed as DDDs per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID). The impact of the pandemic on antibiotic consumption was investigated using descriptive statistics and non-linear mixed changepoint models for quarterly and yearly data.Results The decrease in overall antibiotic consumption between 2019 and 2020 (-3.4 DID; -18.6%) was mainly due to a decrease in the consumption of penicillins [Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) code J01C] (-1.9 DID; -23.0%), other & beta;-lactam antibacterials (J01D) (-0.6 DID; -25.8%) and macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramins (J01F) (-0.5 DID; -17.4%) and was sustained during 2021. The changepoint analysis of yearly data (28 countries) estimated a decrease of 3.3 DID in overall antibiotic consumption (J01) between 2019 and 2020. The analysis of quarterly data (16 countries) estimated a decrease in overall antibiotic consumption (J01) of 4.0 DID and a decrease in seasonal variation of 1.2 DID between the first and second quarters of 2020.Conclusions The changepoint analysis indicated a significant, sudden and steep decrease in community antibiotic consumption in the EU/EEA immediately after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe, as well as a decrease in its seasonal variation.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy. - London, 1975, currens
Publication
Oxford : Oxford univ press , 2023
ISSN
0305-7453 [print]
1460-2091 [online]
DOI
10.1093/JAC/DKAD273
Volume/pages
78 :10 (2023) , p. 2572-2580
ISI
001059167600001
Pubmed ID
37671788
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 02.10.2023
Last edited 28.01.2024
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