Off-label use of antimicrobials in neonates in a tertiary children's hospital

Off-label (OL) use of drugs for hospitalized children is very common. OL use occurs especially in the youngest patients, neonates. This study focused on the OL use of antimicrobials in neonates. To our knowledge, only few studies have focused on the prevalence of OL use of antimicrobials in neonates.

We investigated the OL use of antimicrobials in neonates in a tertiary children's hospital. First, we investigated what were the most consumed OL antimicrobials in defined daily doses according to hospital's registry data from neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during 2009-2014. Second, we conducted a targeted retrospective study of premature neonates (400-2000 g) with blood culture-positive infections and receiving antimicrobial therapy between 2005 and 2014 (N = 282). The data were obtained from the electronic patient records and from the hospital's electronic infection registry. Statistical analysis was conducted by using a univariate logistic regression model fitted for OL usage.

In NICU, 35% (7/20) of antimicrobials used were OL. Eighteen percent (51/282) of premature neonates with blood culture-positive infections received at least one antimicrobial OL. The most commonly used OL antimicrobials in neonates were meropenem 88% (45/51), rifampicin 18% (9/51), and ciprofloxacin 8% (4/51). The odds for OL use were significantly higher the smaller the neonate birth weight was. An increase in birth weight was found to statistically significantly decrease the probability of OL usage (odds ratio = 0.85 for 100 g increase in birth weight, p value <0.001).

More studies in neonates on especially dosing and pharmacokinetics of antimicrobials are urgently needed.