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Receipt of Fluoroquinolone Prophylaxis is not Associated With Development of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus
Catherine R Murphy1, Chunyan Liu2, Joshua Courter3
1Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
Insights
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics do not increase the risk of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) colonization in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) patients. This study found no association between fluoroquinolone prophylaxis and VRE colonization in this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Fluoroquinolones are commonly prescribed for pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients to prevent bloodstream infections.
- Concerns exist regarding the potential for fluoroquinolone use to drive the development of antimicrobial resistance, specifically vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) colonization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fluoroquinolone prophylaxis and the incidence of VRE colonization in pediatric HCT patients.
- To provide evidence-based guidance on antibiotic prophylaxis strategies in immunocompromised pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study including 799 pediatric HCT patients.
- Utilized propensity score analysis to control for confounding variables.
- Evaluated the correlation between fluoroquinolone prophylaxis and documented VRE colonization.
Main Results:
- Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis was not found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of VRE colonization.
- The study did not identify a link between the use of fluoroquinolones and the presence of VRE in this patient group.
Conclusions:
- Current fluoroquinolone prophylaxis regimens appear safe regarding VRE colonization in pediatric HCT recipients.
- Findings support the continued use of fluoroquinolones for infection prevention in this population, pending further research.
Abstract:
Fluoroquinolones are used to prevent bloodstream infections in pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. We performed a retrospective cohort study in 799 pediatric HCT patients to evaluate the association between fluoroquinolone prophylaxis and VRE colonization. Propensity score analyses were performed. Fluoroquinolone prophylaxis was not associated with VRE colonization.
