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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
11:17
Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
Published on: August 30, 2018
Quantifying antibiotic use in paediatrics: a proposal for neonatal DDDs
T B Y Liem1, E R Heerdink, A C G Egberts
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Lundlaan 6, Room Ke.03.136.0, 3584 EA Utrecht, The Netherlands. y.liem@umcutrecht.nl
Summary
The World Health Organization
Area of Science:
- Neonatal pharmacology
- Antibiotic stewardship
- Pediatric pharmacokinetics
Background:
- The World Health Organization's Defined Daily Dose (DDD) is a standard metric for antibiotic consumption.
- Standard DDD methodology is unsuitable for pediatric populations due to significant body weight variations.
- Accurate measurement of antibiotic use in neonates is crucial for effective antimicrobial stewardship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a specific set of neonatal Defined Daily Doses (DDD) for antibiotics.
- To establish a reliable unit for measuring antibiotic utilization in neonatal intensive care units.
Main Methods:
- Consulted eight international and national sources for neonatal antibiotic dosage recommendations.
- Focused on the ten most frequently used antibiotics in neonatal intensive care units.
- Calculated neonatal DDDs based on an assumed neonatal weight of 2 kg.
Main Results:
- A novel set of neonatal DDDs was proposed for ten common neonatal antibiotics.
- This new metric accounts for the narrow weight range typical of the neonatal population.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal DDDs offer a viable alternative for quantifying antibiotic use in neonates when patient-level data is unavailable.
- This approach addresses the limitations of standard DDDs in pediatric populations, particularly neonates.
- Implementation of neonatal DDDs can enhance antibiotic stewardship in neonatal care.
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