BackgroundImproper use of antimicrobials can cause adverse drug events and high costs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and potential drug–drug interactions associated with antimicrobials among hospitalized patients.Material/MethodsThis study was conducted on the same day in 5 different hospitals in Turkey. We included patients aged ≥18 years who received at least 1 antimicrobial drug and at least 1 of any other drug. The Micromedex® online drug reference system was used to control and describe the interactions. Drug interactions were classified as contraindicated, major, moderate, and minor.ResultsPotential drug–drug interactions with antimicrobials were 26.4% of all interactions. Five (42%) of 12 contraindicated interactions and 61 (38%) of 159 major interactions were with antimicrobials. Quinolones, triazoles, metronidazole, linezolid, and clarithromycin accounted for 173 (25.7%) of 673 prescribed antimicrobials, but were responsible for 141 (92.1%) of 153 interactions. In multivariate analysis, number of prescribed antimicrobials (odds ratio: 2.3001, 95% CI: 1.6237–3.2582), number of prescribed drugs (odds ratio: 1.2008, 95% CI: 1.0943–1.3177), and hospitalization in the university hospital (odds ratio: 1.7798, 95% CI: 1.0035–3.1564) were independent risk factors for developing drug interactions.ConclusionsDue to risk of drug interactions, physicians should be more cautious when prescribing antimicrobials, particularly when prescribing quinolones, linezolid, azoles, metronidazole, and macrolides.

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Our study aimed to demonstrate the epidemiological data of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and changes in its genotypic distribution which was observed in Adana in time. Materials and Methods: The data from 369 patients who were on follow up with the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C between January 1996 and March 2013, were reviewed retrospectively. The differences between the gender, age, and routes of transmission among the HCV patients with different genotypes were reviewed. Changes in the mean age, gender, and virus genotypes of the patients in our region by the years were evaluated. Results: Genotype 1 was identified in 289 (78.3%) patients, genotype 2 in 23 (6.2%) patients, genotype 3 in 54 (14.6%) patients and genotype 4 was identified in 3 (0.8%) patients. When the genotypic distribution over the years was assessed, the rate of the patients with genotype 2 or 3 was 2.7% between 1996 and 2008, this rate was observed to increase to 44% between 2012 and 2013. Sixty nine out of 77 (89.6%) patients with genotype 2 or 3 were intravenous drug addicts. Conclusion: In our region intravenous drug use-related HCV infection was increased in recent years. Decrease in the mean age of the patients, higher probability of occurrence among males and increased rates of genotype 2 and 3 were associated with this reason.