Antimicrobial stewardship in pediatric care: strategies and future directions

Jason G Newland1, Ritu Banerjee, Jeffrey S Gerber

  • 1Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, USA. jnewland1@cmh.edu

Pharmacotherapy
|January 12, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are crucial for combating antimicrobial resistance. This review outlines their development, impact, and future research needs in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Antimicrobial stewardship
  • Public health

Background:

  • Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global threat, necessitating judicious antimicrobial use.
  • New antimicrobial drug development is declining, increasing the importance of existing therapies.
  • Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are essential but face unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the development process of pediatric ASPs.
  • To review current data on the effectiveness of pediatric ASPs.
  • To identify priorities and challenges for future pediatric ASP research.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing literature on pediatric antimicrobial stewardship.
  • It examines data on the impact and outcomes of implemented pediatric ASPs.
  • It analyzes challenges in study design and endpoint selection for pediatric ASP research.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric ASPs are vital for optimizing antimicrobial prescribing in children.
  • Evidence demonstrates the positive impact of pediatric ASPs on prescribing quality and safety.
  • Key challenges include specific pediatric considerations and research methodology.

Conclusions:

  • Developing and implementing pediatric ASPs is critical for combating antimicrobial resistance.
  • Further research is needed to refine study designs and establish appropriate endpoints for pediatric ASPs.
  • Addressing unique pediatric issues is paramount for effective antimicrobial stewardship in children.

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures01:22

Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures

Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care01:30

Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care

A healthcare provider can diagnose a urinary tract infection (UTI) through several methods:Medical History and Symptoms: The provider will take a detailed medical history and ask about symptoms such as frequent urination, burning sensation during urination, and lower abdominal pain.Urinalysis: A clean-catch urine sample is collected in a sterile container and tested for the presence of bacteria, white blood cells (leukocytes), nitrites, blood, and protein. The presence of leukocytes and...