Clinical and Economic Impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions Reported Among Hospital Inpatients in The Middle East: a Systematic Review Protocol

Abstract Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a major global concern, negatively impacting public health outcomes (1-5), patient safety (3,6-8) and poses enormous burden on economic development and security (8-16). Internationally, data suggests, at any given time, approximately one-third of the hospitalized patients and over two-thirds of critically ill patients are prescribed antimicrobials and more than half of these prescribed antimicrobials are deemed inappropriate (5,17,18).