Evaluation of Systemic Pharmacotherapy in Bacterial Skin Infections: Adherence to Clinical Guidelines and Factors Associated with Treatment Outcomes

Background

Bacterial skin infections frequently require systemic antibiotic therapy, and adherence to clinical guidelines is important for optimizing treatment outcomes and antimicrobial stewardship. This study evaluated systemic pharmacotherapy for bacterial skin infections, guideline adherence, and factors associated with treatment outcomes. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study included 300 patients treated in a regional hospital in Kosovo between January 2025 and August 2026. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and pharmacotherapeutic data were obtained from medical records. Guideline adherence and clinical outcomes were evaluated, and Firth penalized multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with guideline non-adherence and unfavorable clinical outcomes.