The Effect of Local Antibiogram-based Augmented Antibiotic Prophylaxis on Infection-related Complications Following Prostate Biopsy

Given the number of prostate biopsies performed annually in the United States and associated infectious events as a result, we sought to determine if implementation of a standardized biopsy protocol utilizing antibiotic prophylaxis based on locally derived antibiograms would result in a decrease, relative to a contemporary control population, in the incidence of infection-related complications among community-based practices. A total of nine member groups of LUGPA participated in both a retrospective review and a prospective study of infection-related complications following prostate biopsy. Historic infectious complications, defined as chills/rigor, temperature higher than 101 °F, or documented positive blood or urine cultures, were self-reported by a retrospective review of patients undergoing prostate biopsy under the practice's current protocol in the year prior to the study. The prospective phase of the study required each group to develop a locally derived augmented prophylaxis regimen (>2 antibiotics) based on local antibiograms. After implementation, the practices enrolled patients undergoing prostate biopsy over an 8-week period. Monitoring for infection-related complication took place over the ensuing 3 weeks post-biopsy. Seven hundred fifty-nine patients over nine practices were enrolled into the study utilizing the augmented locally determined prophylaxis protocol. There was a 53% reduction in the incidence of infection-related complication, relative to the historical rate. By developing a standardized biopsy protocol with specific emphasis on incorporating an augmented antibiotic prophylactic regimen based upon local antibiograms, we were able to demonstrate in a prospective trial across nine geographically distinct community practices a significant reduction in the incidence of infection-related complications.