Variations in practice patterns: antiviral drug use in hospitalized patients with herpes infections.

This study describes patterns of antiviral drug use for patients hospitalized with chickenpox, herpes simplex, and herpes zoster infections, and also for a subgroup of herpes patients with severe infections (systemic infections, eye infections, encephalitis, hemorrhagic pneumonitis, and other severe conditions). Our findings demonstrate that there is great deal of variation in the use of antiviral drugs for these herpes patients, and that much of this variation is apparently unrelated to medical indications for antiviral drug use. Instead, patterns of use are associated with patient characteristics (age, race) and with hospital characteristics (location, teaching status, number of beds). Because these drugs are effective when used properly, treatment guidelines and protocols may be needed so that improved drug use will produce better patient outcomes.