Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 23, 2026

A Novel Method to Determine the Longitudinal Antibacterial Activity of Drug-Eluting Materials
06:18

A Novel Method to Determine the Longitudinal Antibacterial Activity of Drug-Eluting Materials

Published on: March 3, 2023

1.9K

Vancomycin Use: Room for Improvement Among Hospitalized Children

Jessica Gillon1, Meng Xu2, James Slaughter2

  • 11 Department of Pharmacy, Monroe Carell Jr Hospital for Children, Nashville, TN, USA.

Journal of Pharmacy Practice
|April 6, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Prospective audit with real-time feedback significantly reduced vancomycin use in hospitalized children. This intervention lowered vancomycin days of therapy (DoT) and associated pharmacy costs.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Vancomycin is frequently used in pediatric hospital settings.
  • Evaluating interventions to optimize antibiotic use is crucial for patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of prospective audit with real-time feedback on vancomycin utilization.
  • To determine the effect of this intervention on pharmacy costs in a pediatric hospital.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective audit and feedback intervention was implemented in 2012 at Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt (MCJCHV).
  • Vancomycin use (days of antibiotic therapy per 1000 patient-days) was compared before and after the intervention.
  • Interrupted time series analysis was used to compare vancomycin use at MCJCHV with academic children's hospitals with and without established antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs).

Main Results:

  • Monthly vancomycin use decreased significantly from 114 to 89 DoTs/1000 patient-days post-intervention (P < .0001).
  • No significant difference in the trend of vancomycin use was observed when compared to institutions with ASPs.
  • Vancomycin use at MCJCHV was significantly lower compared to children's hospitals without ASPs (P < .001).

Conclusions:

  • Prospective audit with real-time feedback effectively reduced vancomycin use in a pediatric hospital setting.
  • The intervention led to a significant decrease in vancomycin days of therapy and associated costs.
  • This strategy demonstrates the value of antimicrobial stewardship interventions in optimizing antibiotic prescribing practices.
Abstract

Keywords:
pediatricsstewardshipvancomycin

More Related Videos

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA12:18

Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA

Published on: February 9, 2011

23.7K
Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses11:17

Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses

Published on: August 30, 2018

13.5K

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
713
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...
368
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...
317
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,...
441
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
669
Estimation of k and VD of Aminoglycosides01:20

Estimation of k and VD of Aminoglycosides

Aminoglycosides are a class of antibiotics used to treat various bacterial infections. Clinicians must determine the elimination rate constant (k) and volume of distribution (VD) to optimize therapeutic efficacy and minimize toxicity. The k value represents the rate at which the drug is removed from the body, and the VD reflects the degree to which the drug distributes into body tissues. Accurately estimating these parameters allows healthcare professionals to tailor drug dosing to individual...
297