METHODS: This cross-sectional, multicenter study involved EM pharmacists from 14 tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. All accepted interventions done by EM pharmacists in the ED for patients admitted to the Red (critical) and Yellow (semi-critical) zones from January to June 2022 were extracted from the Clinical Pharmacy Report Form. All data were analyzed descriptively.
RESULTS: The EM pharmacists documented 1659 accepted interventions on 1584 patients during the study period. Inappropriate regimens (n = 1117, 67.3%) and incomplete prescriptions (n = 339, 20.4%) were the main categories of accepted interventions in ED. Inappropriate drug (n = 574, 34.6%), dose (n = 292, 17.6%), and frequency (n = 176, 10.6%) were the top three subcategory interventions documented under inappropriate regimens. Antimicrobials, antihypertensives, and proton pump inhibitors were the commonest drug intervened under the categories of inappropriate drug intervention. There were 272 (16.4%) accepted interventions on high-alert medications (HAMs). Insulin, enoxaparin, and noradrenaline were the most intervened HAMs.
CONCLUSION: Inappropriate treatment regimens were the most common intervention category done by EM pharmacists in Malaysia. The significant number of interventions done by EM pharmacists demonstrated the importance of EM pharmacists as integral members of the EM team. This data can help improve the quality of clinical pharmacy services in the ED and is important for the future expansion of clinical pharmacy services in all EDs across Malaysia, neighbouring countries, and other developing countries.
METHODS: 2010-2015 incidence data for influenza A (IAV), influenza B (IBV), respiratory syncytial (RSV) and parainfluenza (PIV) virus infections were collected from 18 sites (14 countries), consisting of local (n = 6), regional (n = 9) and national (n = 3) laboratories using molecular diagnostic methods. Each site submitted monthly virus incidence data, together with details of their patient populations tested and diagnostic assays used.
RESULTS: For the Northern Hemisphere temperate countries, the IAV, IBV and RSV incidence peaks were 2-6 months out of phase with those in the Southern Hemisphere, with IAV having a sharp out-of-phase difference at 6 months, whereas IBV and RSV showed more variable out-of-phase differences of 2-6 months. The tropical sites Singapore and Kuala Lumpur showed fluctuating incidence of these viruses throughout the year, whereas subtropical sites such as Hong Kong, Brisbane and Sydney showed distinctive biannual peaks for IAV but not for RSV and PIV.
CONCLUSIONS: There was a notable pattern of synchrony of IAV, IBV and RSV incidence peaks globally, and within countries with multiple sampling sites (Canada, UK, Australia), despite significant distances between these sites.