STROBE-AMS: recommendations to optimise reporting of epidemiological studies on antimicrobial resistance and informing improvement in antimicrobial stewardship
Open Access
- 19 February 2016
- Vol. 6 (2), e010134
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010134
Abstract
Objectives To explore the accuracy of application of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) tool in epidemiological studies focused on the evaluation of the role of antibiotics in selecting resistance, and to derive and test an extension of STROBE to improve the suitability of the tool in evaluating the quality of reporting in these area. Methods A three-step study was performed. First, a systematic review of the literature analysing the association between antimicrobial exposure and acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and/or multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was performed. Second, articles were reviewed according to the STROBE checklist for epidemiological studies. Third, a set of potential new items focused on antimicrobial-resistance quality indicators was derived through an expert two-round RAND-modified Delphi procedure and tested on the articles selected through the literature review. Results The literature search identified 78 studies. Overall, the quality of reporting appeared to be poor in most areas. Five STROBE items, comprising statistical analysis and study objectives, were satisfactory in Conclusions Our paper reveals that reporting in epidemiological papers analysing the association between antimicrobial usage and development of resistance is poor. The implementation of the newly developed STROBE for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) tool should enhance appropriate study design and reporting, and therefore contribute to the improvement of evidence to be used for AMS programme development and assessment.This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- A call for actionCurrent Opinion in Infectious Diseases, 2012
- The importance of case-mix adjustment for infection rates and the need for more research.Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 2008
- Modelling the impact of antibiotic use and infection control practices on the incidence of hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a time-series analysisJournal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 2008
- Does antibiotic exposure increase the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolation? A systematic review and meta-analysisJournal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 2007
- Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE): Explanation and ElaborationPLoS Medicine, 2007
- The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: Guidelines for Reporting Observational StudiesPLoS Medicine, 2007
- Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Guidelines for Developing an Institutional Program to Enhance Antimicrobial StewardshipClinical Infectious Diseases, 2007
- Investigating the association between antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance: impact of different methods of categorising prior antibiotic useInternational Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 2006
- The Delphi technique: a methodological discussionJournal of Advanced Nursing, 1994