Point prevalence study of antibiotic use in a paediatric hospital in Italy

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Hospital Pharmacy
• Clinical Microbiology

Background:

• Antibiotic stewardship is crucial in pediatric settings to combat antimicrobial resistance.
• Understanding current antibiotic prescribing patterns in hospitals is essential for targeted interventions.
• Paediatric hospitals face unique challenges in antibiotic use due to specific patient populations and infection profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of antibiotic use among hospitalized children.
• To analyze antibiotic prescribing patterns across different hospital wards.
• To identify areas for improvement in antibiotic stewardship and prophylaxis guidelines.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective chart review was conducted in June 2007 at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome.
• Data included 412 children hospitalized for more than 48 hours.
• Prevalence rates were calculated overall and stratified by hospital ward.

Main Results:

• Antibiotics were prescribed to 43.9% of 412 hospitalized children.
• Antibiotic use prevalence varied by ward: 37.7% (medical), 51.1% (intensive care), and 52.2% (surgical).
• In surgical wards, 71% of antibiotic use was for prophylaxis; ceftazidime and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were most common.

Conclusions:

• The observed antibiotic use prevalence aligns with European pediatric hospital data.
• There is a need for national data collection to identify intervention priorities.
• Implementing guidelines for pediatric surgical prophylaxis and investigating parenteral antibiotic use rationale is recommended.