Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Few data are available about temporal trends of antibiotic use in hospitalized children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the pattern and trends of antibiotic use over the years 2008-2016 in the largest children's hospital in Italy.Methods
Annual point prevalence surveys of antibiotic use were conducted by reviewing medical charts of 0-17 year-old children hospitalized for ≥48 h. Prevalence of antibiotic use was computed by year, type of ward and indication. Trends in prevalence over time were evaluated using the Cochrane-Armitage test. Possibile determinants of antibiotic use were assessed at univariate analysis and through a logistic regression model.Results
Out of 3015 children, 1516 (50.3%) received antibiotics, 58.1% of which for medical/surgical prophylaxis. Prevalence of antibiotic use increased from 42.0% in 2008 to 56.2% in 2016 (p = 0.001). The prevalence of patients receiving antibiotics for medical prophylaxis increased from 6.1% in 2008 to 24.2% in 2016 (p < 0.001), whereas the prevalence of patients receiving antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis significantly decreased (from 13.7 to 11.8%; p = 0.04); no significant temporal trends were found in antibiotic use for treating infections. The administration of third-generation cephalosporins for surgical and medical prophylaxis significantly decreased over time, while the proportion of antibiotics prescribed to treat infections after microbiological investigations significantly increased. Year (ORadj: 1.8 in 2016 compared to 2008, p < 0.001), age (ORadj ≥1.5 in children ≥1 year, compared to infants ≤2 months, p < 0.001), length of stay (LOS) (ORadj: 1.4 in case of LOS between 8 and 30 days compared to LOS ≤ 7 days, p < 0.001), and type of ward (ORadj: ≥1.3 in intensive-care, surgical and medical-subspecialty units compared to medical units, p < 0.001) were significantly and independently associated with antibiotic use.Conclusions
Comparing prevalence rates of antibiotic use among hospitals and over time should consider differences in patient characteristics, such as age, ward of hospitalization and length of stay. Over the years, we documented an improvement in the choice of antibiotics prescribed for medical and surgical prophylaxis. However, further efforts are needed to avoid antibiotic misuse for medical prophylaxis, and to reduce the empirical use of broad spectrum antibiotics.
SUBMITTER: Ciofi Degli Atti ML
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6528368 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Ciofi Degli Atti Marta Luisa ML D'Amore Carmen C Ceradini Jacopo J Paolini Valerio V Ciliento Gaetano G Chessa Giuseppe G Raponi Massimiliano M
Italian journal of pediatrics 20190520 1
<h4>Background</h4>Few data are available about temporal trends of antibiotic use in hospitalized children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the pattern and trends of antibiotic use over the years 2008-2016 in the largest children's hospital in Italy.<h4>Methods</h4>Annual point prevalence surveys of antibiotic use were conducted by reviewing medical charts of 0-17 year-old children hospitalized for ≥48 h. Prevalence of antibiotic use was computed by year, type of ward and indicat ...[more]