Using a clinical decision support sytem to determine the quality of antimicrobial dosing in intensive care patients with renal insufficiency

Background The benefits on clinical practice of a clinical decision support system (CDSS) are predominantly determined by the quality of the clinical rules used in this system. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the performance and potential benefits on quality of care of these rules. Methods A clinical rule assisting physicians in selecting the appropriate dosage according to renal function of frequently prescribed antimicrobials was developed. In 2004, 1788 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for more than 12 h were included in this retrospective study. The actual number of dosage adjustments without the support of the CDSS was compared with the theoretical number of dosage adjustments determined by the clinical rule in patients with moderate (creatinine clearance (Clcreat) 10–50 ml/min) and severe (Clcreat