Paediatric colistin prescribing practices in South Africa: A clinician survey

Increasing multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are a global health challenge. Colistin, a polymyxin antimicrobial, has activity against some resistant strains, and despite its adverse effects, it presents a last-line option to treat resistant Gram-negative pathogens. However, paediatric colistin prescribing guidelines are lacking.

To determine paediatric colistin prescribing practices and challenges in South Africa (SA) to aid the development of a paediatric colistin guideline.

We conducted an anonymous online survey of registered medical practitioners in SA who prescribed colistin to patients aged ≤ 14 years in the past 12 months.

Of 196 participants, 71.9% (n = 141/196) completed the survey. Eighty-six respondents (n = 86/146; 58.9%) reported prescribing loading doses (LD), with the median LD and maintenance doses of 150 000 IU/kg/dose (interquartile range (IQR), 75 000-150 000) and 50 000 IU/kg/dose (IQR, 40 000-50 000), respectively. Empiric colistin use was reported by 47.2% (n = 69/146), of whom 46.3% (n = 32/69) continued empiric colistin for ≥ 72 h. Using the Likert scale, respondents highly perceived that therapeutic drug monitoring should be readily available (mean = 3.97). The perception that prescribing colistin should be advised by a microbiologist or infectious disease specialist had a mean score of 2.97, indicating moderate agreement.

This survey demonstrated varied paediatric colistin prescribing practices. Recently, a new evidence-based paediatric guideline for colistin use in SA has been published. A follow-up survey will be conducted to assess the impact of the guideline on paediatric colistin prescribing practices in SA.

This study highlighted paediatric colistin dosing practices in the absence of a paediatric colistin guideline in South Africa.