Two-Year Evolution of a Prospective Audit and Feedback Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in a Quaternary Intensive Care Unit in Ghana
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Objectives
To evaluate two-year, side-by-side outcomes of a prospective audit and feedback (PAF)-based antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in a quaternary ICU in Ghana, comparing diagnostic stewardship, antimicrobial prescribing patterns, and clinician adherence to stewardship recommendations between 2024 and 2025. Longitudinal PAF data from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) quaternary ICUs are scarce; this study addresses that evidence gap.
Methods
A retrospective comparative analysis of routine Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) surveillance data was conducted at the University of Ghana Medical Centre ICU: 102 visits in 2024 and 63 in 2025. Proportions were compared by chi-square or Fisher’s exact test; continuous variables by Mann-Whitney U. Wilson score 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for primary proportions.
Results
Biomarker-guided prescribing rose from 86.3% to 100% of visits (p=0.005) and culture and sensitivity testing from 74.5% to 90.5% (p=0.02). Targeted (culture-guided) therapy increased significantly from 23.5% to 41.7% of antibiotic recipients (p=0.03), while empiric prescribing declined correspondingly. Overall antibiotic utilization remained high in both years (96.1% vs 95.2%; p=1.00), and meropenem use rose from 42.9% to 56.7% (p=0.13). AMS interventions were recommended in 67.6% and 63.5% of visits, respectively. Clinician acceptance improved markedly from 40.6% (95% CI: 29.8–52.4%) to 67.5% (95% CI: 52.0–79.9%) (p=0.01).
Conclusions
Two years of PAF in a Ghanaian quaternary ICU demonstrated progressive program maturation: universal biomarker adoption, a significant shift toward targeted prescribing, and markedly enhanced clinician acceptance. Persistently high antibiotic utilization and rising carbapenem dependence underscore the need for sustained surveillance and carbapenem-sparing strategies in LMIC critical care.
