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A Protocol to Characterize the Morphological Changes of Clostridium difficile in Response to Antibiotic Treatment
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Use of Concomitant Antibiotics During Treatment for Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) in Pediatric Inpatients: An

Vanessa W Stevens1, Cary Thurm2, Elyse M Schwab3

  • 1Department of Pharmacotherapy, University of Utah College of Pharmacy, 30 South 2000 East, Rm 4961, Salt Lake City, UT, 84121, USA. vanessa.stevens@pharm.utah.edu.

Infectious Diseases and Therapy
|March 15, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Concomitant antibiotic use during Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) treatment raises recurrence risk. Nearly half of pediatric CDI patients received additional antibiotics, highlighting a target for antimicrobial stewardship.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship
  • Hospital Epidemiology

Background:

  • Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant cause of hospital-acquired infections in children.
  • Recurrence of CDI is a major challenge in treatment, often linked to specific patient factors and treatment regimens.
  • Concomitant antibiotic use, prescribed for other conditions during CDI treatment, is suspected to impact CDI recurrence rates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and patterns of concomitant antibiotic use in pediatric patients treated for CDI.
  • To identify patient populations or clinical characteristics associated with higher rates of concomitant antibiotic administration.
  • To assess the potential for antimicrobial stewardship interventions to reduce unnecessary concomitant antibiotic use in CDI patients.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of patient data across a network of children's hospitals.
  • Identification of patients diagnosed with CDI and receiving treatment.
  • Documentation of concomitant antibiotic prescriptions, duration, and indications.

Main Results:

  • 46% of pediatric CDI patients received concomitant antibiotics during their CDI treatment.
  • The median duration of concomitant antibiotic therapy was 7 days.
  • Concomitant antibiotic use was more prevalent in patients with underlying conditions such as malignancies and those who had undergone solid organ or bone marrow transplantation.

Conclusions:

  • Concomitant antibiotic use is common in pediatric CDI patients and is associated with increased recurrence risk.
  • Targeting unnecessary concomitant antibiotic prescriptions presents a viable strategy for pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs.
  • Reducing dual antibiotic exposure may improve CDI treatment outcomes and reduce healthcare-associated infections.

Keywords:
Clostridium difficile infectionConcomitant antibioticsPediatric

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