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Antibiotic use, gastroenteritis and respiratory illness in South Australian children

A Talbot-Smith1, J Heyworth

  • 1Department of Public Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia.

Epidemiology and Infection
|February 1, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) affected 32.3% of children. After excluding respiratory illness, AAD incidence dropped to 23.5%, highlighting the importance of considering confounding factors in AAD studies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is a common concern in pediatric care.
  • Understanding AAD incidence in community settings is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
  • Confounding factors may influence the observed incidence of AAD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) in young children in a community setting.
  • To identify factors associated with AAD, including respiratory illness and gastroenteritis exposure.
  • To assess the impact of confounding variables on AAD incidence.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective study involving 965 children aged 4-6 years in rural/semi-rural South Australia.
  • Parents completed questionnaires on socio-demographics and maintained daily diaries for 6 weeks.
  • Diaries recorded symptoms of gastroenteritis, antibiotic use, respiratory illness, and contacts with gastroenteritis.

Main Results:

  • The overall incidence of AAD was 32.3%.
  • Excluding episodes linked to respiratory illness reduced AAD incidence to 23.5%.
  • Respiratory illness (OR 6.76) and gastroenteritis contact (OR 1.8) were associated with gastroenteritis. Only the first day of antibiotic use remained significant after adjustments (OR 3.8).

Conclusions:

  • Respiratory illness is a significant confounder in AAD studies.
  • The first day of antibiotic use may be a critical period for AAD development.
  • Accurate assessment of AAD requires careful consideration of concurrent illnesses and exposures.

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