The Current State and Future Directions of Inpatient Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Antibiotic use in hospitalized children is highly variable and frequently unnecessary.
• This overuse exposes children to harms like adverse drug events, antibiotic resistance, and chronic health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the role and future directions of antimicrobial stewardship programs in pediatric inpatient settings.
• To highlight strategies for reducing unnecessary antibiotic use in children.

Main Methods:

• Review of antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
• Discussion of current practices and challenges.
• Exploration of future implementation science and collaborative strategies.

Main Results:

• Antimicrobial stewardship programs effectively reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
• Key interventions include antimicrobial review, guideline development, and clinical decision support.
• Future directions emphasize nurse collaboration and extending stewardship to smaller hospitals.

Conclusions:

• Antimicrobial stewardship is crucial for mitigating antibiotic-associated harms in hospitalized children.
• Implementation science and interprofessional collaboration are vital for advancing stewardship practices.
• Expanding stewardship programs beyond academic centers is essential for broader impact.