Scholarlink

Introduction <p>Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) enables effective infection management outside hospital settings, offering clinical and economic benefits. While widely adopted internationally, its implementation in Italy remains fragmented. This study aimed to systematically map the use of OPAT in Italy to identify research and policy priorities.</p> Methods <p>A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (<a href="https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GX8S6">https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GX8S6</a>) in August 2025. Searches were performed across PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies included primary research on OPAT in Italy, with no restrictions on publication date or language. Data extraction focused on study characteristics, OPAT indications, antimicrobial agents, delivery models, and outcomes.</p> Results <p>Twenty-three studies were included, mostly observational and single-center, published between 2000 and 2025. OPAT was primarily delivered at home or in infusion centers. The most frequent indications were infections of bone and joint, skin and soft tissue, and the respiratory tract. Ceftriaxone was the most used antimicrobial. Delivery was mainly intravenous, often via elastomeric pumps and peripheral or central venous access. Reported outcomes were generally favorable, with cure or improvement rates exceeding 90% in several studies. Adverse events were infrequent, mostly associated with drug reactions or catheter-related complications. Patient satisfaction was consistently high. Economic evaluations were limited but suggested cost savings primarily driven by reductions in hospital stays.</p> Conclusions <p>OPAT is feasible and increasingly used in Italy, but remains inconsistently implemented across regions. Broader adoption would benefit from national guidance, standardized protocols, and integrated stewardship frameworks. Future research should address comparative and cost-effectiveness, as well as equitable access, to support systematic scale-up aligned with national health priorities on antimicrobial resistance and community-based care.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) in Italy: A Scoping Review

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月9日

查看全文
  • Chiara Moreal,
  • Simone Giuliano,
  • Francesca Prataviera,
  • Massimo Fantoni,
  • Sergio Mezzadri,
  • Valentina Menozzi,
  • Meri Marin,
  • Raul Cetatean,
  • Elena Sora,
  • Elena Rosselli Del Turco,
  • Fabio Tumietto,
  • Cristina Moracas,
  • Alfredo Guarino,
  • Riccardo Vecchio,
  • Anna Odone,
  • Vilma Urbančič,
  • Alvisa Palese,
  • Carlo Tascini

摘要

Introduction

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) enables effective infection management outside hospital settings, offering clinical and economic benefits. While widely adopted internationally, its implementation in Italy remains fragmented. This study aimed to systematically map the use of OPAT in Italy to identify research and policy priorities.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GX8S6) in August 2025. Searches were performed across PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies included primary research on OPAT in Italy, with no restrictions on publication date or language. Data extraction focused on study characteristics, OPAT indications, antimicrobial agents, delivery models, and outcomes.

Results

Twenty-three studies were included, mostly observational and single-center, published between 2000 and 2025. OPAT was primarily delivered at home or in infusion centers. The most frequent indications were infections of bone and joint, skin and soft tissue, and the respiratory tract. Ceftriaxone was the most used antimicrobial. Delivery was mainly intravenous, often via elastomeric pumps and peripheral or central venous access. Reported outcomes were generally favorable, with cure or improvement rates exceeding 90% in several studies. Adverse events were infrequent, mostly associated with drug reactions or catheter-related complications. Patient satisfaction was consistently high. Economic evaluations were limited but suggested cost savings primarily driven by reductions in hospital stays.

Conclusions

OPAT is feasible and increasingly used in Italy, but remains inconsistently implemented across regions. Broader adoption would benefit from national guidance, standardized protocols, and integrated stewardship frameworks. Future research should address comparative and cost-effectiveness, as well as equitable access, to support systematic scale-up aligned with national health priorities on antimicrobial resistance and community-based care.