Using oral vancomycin prescriptions as a proxy measure for Clostridium difficile infections: a spatial and time series analysis

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2011 Jul;32(7):723-6. doi: 10.1086/660858.

Abstract

Sales for a drug may be correlated with the prevalence of a condition treated by the drug. We found that state data revealed a strong spatial association and national data a strong temporal association between Clostridium difficile and oral vancomycin prescription sales, suggesting a new "signal" for detecting disease activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Clostridioides difficile*
  • Clostridium Infections / drug therapy
  • Clostridium Infections / epidemiology*
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Drug Prescriptions / statistics & numerical data*
  • Drug Utilization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Ohio / epidemiology
  • Population Surveillance / methods*
  • Seasons
  • Vancomycin / administration & dosage
  • Vancomycin / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Vancomycin