Impact of CLSI Breakpoint Changes on Microbiology Laboratories and Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs

Emily L Heil; J Kristie Johnson

doi:10.1128/JCM.02424-15

Impact of CLSI Breakpoint Changes on Microbiology Laboratories and Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs

J Clin Microbiol. 2016 Apr;54(4):840-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02424-15. Epub 2016 Jan 20.

Authors

Emily L Heil¹, J Kristie Johnson²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
² Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA jkjohnson@som.umaryland.edu.

Abstract

In 2010, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) lowered the MIC breakpoints for many beta-lactam antibiotics to enhance detection of known resistance amongEnterobacteriaceae The decision to implement these new breakpoints, including the changes announced in both 2010 and 2014, can have a significant impact on both microbiology laboratories and antimicrobial stewardship programs. In this commentary, we discuss the changes and how implementation of these updated CLSI breakpoints requires partnership between antimicrobial stewardship programs and the microbiology laboratory, including data on the impact that the changes had on antibiotic usage at our own institution.

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
Drug Therapy / methods
Drug Therapy / standards
Drug Utilization / standards
Enterobacteriaceae / drug effects*
Enterobacteriaceae Infections / drug therapy*
Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology*
Humans
Microbial Sensitivity Tests / standards*
beta-Lactams / pharmacology
beta-Lactams / therapeutic use

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
beta-Lactams

Grants and funding

No funding was received from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sector.