Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34862256›Full record

ReviewEuropean journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice2023

Widening the net: a literature review of antimicrobial agents with potential suitability for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy services-the importance of storage and stability.

Abi Jenkins, Steven Shanu, Conor Jamieson, Mark Santillo

Open access · bronzeAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Preparation of B. Braun EasypumpJAC-antimicrobial resistance · 2026
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Abi JenkinsPharmacy Department, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK abi.jenkins2@nhs.net.
Steven ShanuPharmacy Department, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Conor JamiesonPharmacy Department, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, Birmingham, UK.
Mark SantilloQuality Assurance, South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, Torquay, UK.
Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust · GBNorthern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust · GBUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesOutpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) services using continuous infusions (CIs) of antimicrobial agents in elastomeric devices require evidence of acceptable stability of the agent over the infusion period. A period of refrigerated storage of filled devices, followed by the CI period, is useful for OPAT services but can present a significant challenge to the stability of drugs. The aims of this study were to review fresh-filled stability data on antimicrobials which would be useful for OPAT services and to identify suitable candidates for further assessment.

methodsSearches identified papers relating to stability assessments of antimicrobials for immediate use tested above 31°C using a stability-indicating method.

resultsWe identified 18 stability studies published in 12 papers between 2015 and 2020, assessing the stability of 10 agents. Aminopenicillins like ampicillin and amoxicillin appear too unstable for CI, while benzylpenicillin may benefit from buffering to improve its stability. Cephalosporins vary in their stability and CI periods of 24 hours may not be achievable. Of the carbapenems, there are insufficient data for doripenem but meropenem has been extensively studied and is unsuitable for CI longer than 6 hours. Voriconazole may be suitable for CI but needs further investigation.

conclusionsSome drugs identified in our review are unlikely to be suitable for continuous infusion in OPAT services due to instability. Using a 'fresh-fill' approach, without refrigerated storage, may make some drugs useful while other agents should be considered for further assessment to Yellow Cover Document standards. The impact of buffering for penicillins should be assessed further.

Indexed as

Anti-Infective AgentsOutpatientsAmbulatory CareAmpicillinHumansMeropenemAmpicillinAnti-Infective AgentsMeropenemdrug administration routesdrug compoundinghospitalpharmaceutical preparationspharmacy administrationpharmacy service

Identifiers

PMID34862256
PMCPMC9986931
OpenAlexW3214802922

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.