Diarrhoea and preadmission antibiotic exposure in COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study of 1153 hospitalised patients

ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to describe community antibiotic prescribing patterns in individuals hospitalised with COVID-19, and to determine the association between experiencing diarrhoea, stratified by preadmission exposure to antibiotics, and mortality risk in this cohort.Design/methodsRetrospective study of the index presentations of 1153 adult patients with COVID-19, admitted between 1 March 2020 and 29 June 2020 in a South London NHS Trust. Data on patients’ medical history (presence of diarrhoea, antibiotic use in the previous 14 days, comorbidities); demographics (age, ethnicity, and body mass index); and blood test results were extracted. Time to event modelling was used to determine the risk of mortality for patients with diarrhoea and/or exposure to antibiotics.Results19.2% of the cohort reported diarrhoea on presentation; these patients tended to be younger, and were less likely to have recent exposure to antibiotics (unadjusted OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.97). 19.1% of the cohort had a course of antibiotics in the 2 weeks preceding admission; this was associated with dementia (unadjusted OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.14 to 7.49). After adjusting for confounders, neither diarrhoea nor recent antibiotic exposure was associated with increased mortality risk. However, the absence of diarrhoea in the presence of recent antibiotic exposure was associated with a 30% increased risk of mortality.ConclusionCommunity antibiotic use in patients with COVID-19, prior to hospitalisation, is relatively common, and absence of diarrhoea in antibiotic-exposed patients may be associated with increased risk of mortality. However, it is unclear whether this represents a causal physiological relationship or residual confounding.

Download Full-text

416 - Risk of Mortality Associated with Antipsychotics in Alzheimer's Disease

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610220002690 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (S1) ◽

pp. 132-132

Author(s):

Liliana P. Ferreira ◽

Núria Santos ◽

Nuno Fernandes ◽

Carla Ferreira

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Antipsychotic Treatment ◽

Serious Adverse Events ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Mesh Terms ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Increased Risk

Objectives: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and it is associated with increased mortality. The use of antipsychotics is common among the elderly, especially in those with dementia. Evidence suggests an increased risk of mortality associated with antipsychotic use. Despite the short-term benefit of antipsychotic treatment to reduce the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, it increases the risk of mortality in patients with AD. Our aim is to discuss the findings from the literature about risk of mortality associated with the use of antipsychotics in AD.Methods: We searched Internet databases indexed at MEDLINE using following MeSH terms: "Antipsychotic Agents" AND "Alzheimer Disease" OR "Dementia" AND "Mortality" and selected articles published in the last 5 years.Results: Antipsychotics are widely used in the pharmacological treatment of agitation and aggression in elderly patients with AD, but their benefit is limited. Serious adverse events associated with antipsychotics include increased risk of death. The risk of mortality is associated with both typical and atypical antipsychotics. Antipsychotic polypharmacy is associated with a higher mortality risk than monotherapy and should be avoided. The mortality risk increases after the first few days of treatment, gradually reducing but continues to increase after two years of treatment. Haloperidol is associated with a higher mortality risk and quetiapine with a lower risk than risperidone.Conclusions: If the use of antipsychotics is considered necessary, the lowest effective dose should be chosen and the duration should be limited because the mortality risk remains high with long-term use. The risk / benefit should be considered when choosing the antipsychotic. Further studies on the efficacy and risk of adverse events with antipsychotics are needed for a better choice of treatment and adequate monitoring with risk reduction.

Download Full-text

Informing the development of a standardised approach to measure antibiotic use in secondary care: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026792 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. e026792

Author(s):

Selina Patel ◽

Arnoupe Jhass ◽

Susan Hopkins ◽

Laura Shallcross

Keyword(s):

Secondary Care ◽

Scale Up ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Antibiotic Consumption ◽

Antibiotic Usage ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Primary Data ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Antibiotic Consumption Surveillance

IntroductionEcological and individual-level evidence indicates that there is an association between level of antibiotic exposure and the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. The Global Point Prevalence Survey in 2015 estimated that 34.4% of hospital inpatients globally received at least one antimicrobial. Antimicrobial stewardship to optimise antibiotic use in secondary care can reduce the high risk of patients acquiring and transmitting drug-resistant infections in this setting. However, differences in the availability of data on antibiotic use in this context make it difficult to develop a consensus of how to comparably monitor antibiotic prescribing patterns across secondary care. This review will aim to document and critically evaluate methods and measures to monitor antibiotic use in secondary care.Methods and analysisWe will search Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and websites of key organisations for published reports where an attempt to measure antibiotic usage among adult inpatients in high-income hospital settings has been made. Two independent reviewers will screen the studies for eligibility, extract data and assess the study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A description of the methods and measures used in antibiotic consumption surveillance will be presented. An adaptation of the Affordability, Practicability, Effectiveness, Acceptability, Side-effects Equity framework will be used to consider the practicality of implementing different approaches to measuring antibiotic usage in secondary care settings. A descriptive comparison of definitions and estimates of (in)appropriate antibiotic usage will also be carried out.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for this study as no primary data will be collected. The results will be published in relevant peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences or meetings where possible. This review will inform future approaches to scale up antibiotic consumption surveillance strategies to attempt to maximise impact through standardisation.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018103375

Download Full-text

Utilizing Pharmacy Records to Assess Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns on the Incidence of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Children

The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics ◽

10.5863/1551-6776-12.2.91 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 91-101

Author(s):

Peter N. Johnson ◽

Robert P. Rapp ◽

Christopher T. Nelson ◽

J.S. Butler ◽

Sue Overman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Antibiotic Therapy ◽

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Control Group ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Antibiotic Exposure ◽

Pharmacy Records ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Prior Antibiotic Therapy

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of prior antibiotic therapy on the incidence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections in children. METHODS This was a concurrent and retrospective review of antibiotic records for children < 18 years of age with documented CA-MRSA infection identified between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2005. Antibiotic records were compared against a control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of CA-MRSA using linear regression as a function of age and prior antibiotic therapy (i.e., 3 months prior to admission). Secondary objectives included a comparison of antibiotic courses and classes and a description of antibiotic susceptibilities in patients with CA-MRSA RESULTS Data from 26 patients were included. Nine out of 51 patients (18%) with CA-MRSA were included. Another 17 children were enrolled in the control group. The median age was approximately 1.75 years (0.08–14 years) in the CA-MRSA group versus 2.75 years (0.005-15 years) in the control group. A statistical difference was noted in the number of patients with prior antibiotic exposure between the CA-MRSA and control group, 8 (88.9%) versus 6 (35.3%), respectively (P = .01). Antibiotic exposure was found to be a significant independent risk factor (P = .005; 95% CI, 0.167–0.846) for the development of CA-MRSA. The interaction between antibiotic exposure and age < 3 was the most significant predictor of CA-MRSA (P = .019; 95% CI, 0.139–1.40). CONCLUSIONS Prior antibiotic therapy in patients < 3 years of age was associated with a significant risk of developing CA-MRSA. A comprehensive assessment of CA-MRSA patients should include objective methods of measuring prior antibiotic exposure such as pharmacy records.

Download Full-text

Study of antimicrobial use in paediatric inpatients in a tertiary care hospital in Ahmedabad, India

International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics ◽

10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20205430 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 35

Author(s):

Hetal N. Jeeyani ◽

Rutvik H. Parikh ◽

Sheena Sivanandan ◽

Harsh J. Muliya ◽

Shivam N. Badiyani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Resistance ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Antimicrobial Drugs ◽

Prescribing Indicators ◽

Inappropriate Use ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Mean

Background: Inappropriate use and overuse of antibiotics are important factors leading to increased bacterial resistance apart from increased risk of adverse reactions. The aim of this study was to derive antibiotic use percentage, study its pattern and compare antibiotic prescribing indicators with standard indicators.Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from 1st August 2018 to 31st July 2019 on paediatric inpatients from 1 month to 14 years. All the relevant data was taken from the case records of patients at the time of discharge. The data included: age, sex, hospital stay, clinical diagnosis and details of antimicrobial treatment.Results: From 989 patients, 85.9% were diagnosed with infectious illness, of which 60.1% had viral and 36.7% had bacterial infection. The use of antimicrobial drugs was 42.7% and antibiotics was 40.4%. The mean number of antibiotics received was 1.13±0.31. 90% patients received single antibiotic. 88.8% drugs were prescribed by generic name and 99% drugs were prescribed from essential drug formulary. 17 different antibiotics were used out of which ceftriaxone (62.5%) was the most commonly used. Groupwise, antibiotic use was cephalosporins (68.4%), penicillin (20.2%), aminoglycosides (4.31%), fluoroquinolones (0.9%) and macrolides (0.22%). The use of higher antibiotics like vancomycin (3.86%) and carbapenems (0.68%) was quite less.Conclusions: The antibiotic use in our hospital was higher than the WHO standard but less as compared to majority of other studies. Use of cephalosporins was more and penicillin was less as compared to other studies. This suggests that there is a need of implementing antibiotic stewardship programs to enhance rational antibiotic prescribing.

Download Full-text

Trends and patterns of antibiotic prescribing at orthopedic inpatient departments of two private-sector hospitals in Central India: A 10-year observational study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0245902 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0245902

Author(s):

Kristina Skender ◽

Vivek Singh ◽

Cecilia Stalsby-Lundborg ◽

Megha Sharma

Keyword(s):

Design Patterns ◽

Central India ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Essential Medicines ◽

World Health ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Defined Daily Doses

Background Frequent antibiotic prescribing in departments with high infection risk like orthopedics prominently contributes to the global increase of antibiotic resistance. However, few studies present antibiotic prescribing patterns and trends among orthopedic inpatients. Aim To compare and present the patterns and trends of antibiotic prescription over 10 years for orthopedic inpatients in a teaching (TH) and a non-teaching hospital (NTH) in Central India. Methods Data from orthopedic inpatients (TH-6446; NTH-4397) were collected using a prospective cross-sectional study design. Patterns were compared based on the indications and corresponding antibiotic treatments, mean Defined Daily Doses (DDD)/1000 patient-days, adherence to the National List of Essential Medicines India (NLEMI) and the World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines (WHOMLEM). Antibiotic prescriptions were analyzed separately for the operated and the non-operated inpatients. Linear regression was used to analyze the time trends of antibiotic prescribing; in total through DDD/1000 patient-days and by antibiotic groups. Results Third generation cephalosporins were the most prescribed antibiotic class (TH-39%; NTH-65%) and fractures were the most common indications (TH-48%; NTH-48%). Majority of the operated inpatients (TH-99%; NTH-97%) were prescribed pre-operative prophylactic antibiotics. The non-operated inpatients were also prescribed antibiotics (TH-40%; NTH-75%), although few of them had infectious diagnoses (TH-8%; NTH-14%). Adherence to the NLEMI was lower (TH-31%; NTH-34%) than adherence to the WHOMLEM (TH-65%; NTH-62%) in both hospitals. Mean DDD/1000 patient-days was 16 times higher in the TH (2658) compared to the NTH (162). Total antibiotic prescribing increased over 10 years (TH-β = 3.23; NTH-β = 1.02). Conclusion Substantial number of inpatients were prescribed antibiotics without clear infectious indications. Adherence to the NLEMI and the WHOMLEM was low in both hospitals. Antibiotic use increased in both hospitals over 10 years and was higher in the TH than in the NTH. The need for developing and implementing local antibiotic prescribing guidelines is emphasized.

Download Full-text

Unraveling the Association Between Gait and Mortality—One Step at a Time

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/glz282 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 75 (6) ◽

pp. 1184-1190 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lisanne J Dommershuijsen ◽

Berna M Isik ◽

Sirwan K L Darweesh ◽

Jos N van der Geest ◽

M Kamran Ikram ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mortality Risk ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Causes Of Death ◽

Health Indicators ◽

Cox Models ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Specific Mortality ◽

One Step ◽

Base Of Support

Abstract Background Slowness of walking is one of the very first signs of aging and is considered a marker for overall health that is strongly associated with mortality risk. In this study, we sought to disentangle the clinical drivers of the association between gait and mortality. Methods We included 4,490 participants of the Rotterdam Study who underwent a gait assessment between 2009 and 2015 and were followed-up for mortality until 2018. Gait was assessed with an electronic walkway and summarized into the domains Rhythm, Phases, Variability, Pace, Tandem, Turning, and Base of Support. Cox models adjusted for age, sex, and height were built and consecutively adjusted for six categories of health indicators (lifestyle, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, and neurological). Analyses were repeated in comorbidity-free individuals. Results Multiple gait domains were associated with an increased risk of mortality, including Pace (hazard ratio (HR) per SD worse gait, adjusted for other domains: 1.34 [1.19–1.50]), Rhythm (HR: 1.12 [1.02–1.23]) and Phases (HR: 1.12 [1.03–1.21]). Similarly, a 0.1 m/s decrease in gait speed was associated with a 1.21 (1.15–1.27) times higher hazard of mortality (HR fully adjusted: 1.14 [1.08–1.20]). In a comorbidity-free subsample, the HR per 0.1 m/s decrease in gait speed was 1.25 (1.09–1.44). Cause-specific mortality analyses revealed an association between gait speed and multiple causes of death. Conclusions Several gait domains were associated with mortality risk, including Pace which primarily represents gait speed. The association between gait speed and mortality persisted after an extensive adjustment for covariates, suggesting that gait is a marker for overall health.

Download Full-text

966. A Closer Look at Antibiotic Prescribing for Upper Respiratory Illnesses (URI) in People with HIV Compared with People Without HIV

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz359.068 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S31-S31

Author(s):

Anum Abbas ◽

Mackenzie R Keintz ◽

Elizabeth Lyden ◽

Jihyun Ma ◽

Sara H Bares ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Private Insurance ◽

Primary Care Clinic ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Care Clinic ◽

Antibiotic Overuse ◽

Exact Test ◽

Icd 10

Abstract Background Antibiotic overuse is widespread, increasing healthcare cost and promoting antimicrobial resistance. People with HIV (PWH) who develop URIs may be assumed “higher risk,” compared with non-PWH, but comparative antibiotic use evaluations have not been performed. We evaluated antibiotic prescribing patterns for URI diagnoses (cough, sinusitis, bronchitis, and cold) in PWH and non-PWH. Methods This was an observational, single-center study comparing PWH and non-PWH diagnosed with URI (using ICD 10 codes for URI syndromes: cough, sinusitis, bronchitis, and cold) between January 1, 2014 and April 30, 2018. Patients were empaneled in an outpatient primary care clinic or specialty care clinic in one healthcare system. Appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing was defined based on published guidelines. Fisher’s exact test compared categorical variables with antibiotic prescribing patterns. Each encounter was considered an independent event. Results The two groups (PWH and non-PWH) were similar, with 34% of subjects in both groups being female. PWH had median CD4+ count of 610 cells/mm3 with 91% on antiretrovirals and 77% with HIV RNA < 20 copies/mL. Overall, 37% of visits resulted in antibiotic prescriptions, 92% of which were inappropriate (discordant with guidelines). Antibiotics were prescribed slightly more frequently in non-PWH (40% vs. 33%, P = 0.056; Figure 1) and inappropriate more often in non-PWH (37% vs. 30%, P = 0.029). Over 20% of PWH antibiotic prescriptions were too long, and 22% of non-PWH received the wrong drug (Figure 2; P = 0.011). 47% of the non-PWH receiving antibiotics for URI had private insurance (compared with other payers; P < 0.0001) vs. 33% in PWH (P = 0.32) (Figure 3). Conclusion Outpatient antibiotic overuse remains prevalent among patients evaluated for URIs. This is the first study, to our knowledge, comparing antibiotic use for URIs in PWH compared with non-PWH. Counterintuitively, we found less-frequent inappropriate antibiotic use in PWH. We speculate that PWH are more likely to be evaluated by infectious disease/HIV specialists, possibly explaining the lower rate of antibiotic prescriptions for URIs in this population. Future analyses will evaluate the association between provider specialty and inappropriate antibiotic use. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

Download Full-text

A twin study of mortality after spousal bereavement

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291798006692 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 635-643 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

P. LICHTENSTEIN ◽

M. GATZ ◽

S. BERG

Keyword(s):

Mortality Risk ◽

Causal Effect ◽

Spousal Bereavement ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Related Risk ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Health Related ◽

Married Individuals ◽

And Control ◽

Young Old

Background. Previous research has shown an increased risk of mortality after spousal bereavement, with the highest risk in the first weeks or months closest to the loss. One difficult issue in these designs is appropriate covariates and control groups.Method. This study is based on 1993 pairs of twins discordant for marital status and on 35860 married individuals from the Swedish Twin Registry born between 1886 and 1958 and followed for marital and vital status between 1981 and 1993.Results. Spousal bereavement was a risk factor for mortality for both men and women using the still married co-twin as a control to the widowed proband, and controlling for earlier health status and health-related risk factors. The mortality risk was higher for young-old (under 70 years) individuals, and for recently widowed than for longer-term widowed. Young-old women had a pattern with increased mortality risk during the first years after bereavement, but also a markedly decreased risk if they survived 4 years after bereavement, as compared to married women.Conclusions. The results support a causal effect of bereavement on mortality. The decrease in risk for long-term young-old women is congruent with reports by widows of psychological growth after bereavement, involving increased sense of mastery and competence after learning to live in new sets of circumstances following the loss of their husband.

Download Full-text

HSV-1 reactivation is associated with an increased risk of mortality and pneumonia in critically ill COVID-19 patients

Critical Care ◽

10.1186/s13054-021-03843-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Antoine Meyer ◽

Niccolò Buetti ◽

Nadhira Houhou-Fidouh ◽

Juliette Patrier ◽

Moustafa Abdel-Nabey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Critically Ill ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Hospital Acquired Pneumonia ◽

Simplex Virus ◽

Healthcare Associated ◽

Hospital Acquired ◽

The Impact ◽

Hsv 1

Abstract Background Data in the literature about HSV reactivation in COVID-19 patients are scarce, and the association between HSV-1 reactivation and mortality remains to be determined. Our objectives were to evaluate the impact of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections primarily on mortality, and secondarily on hospital-acquired pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP) and intensive care unit-bloodstream infection (ICU-BSI). Methods We conducted an observational study using prospectively collected data and HSV-1 blood and respiratory samples from all critically ill COVID-19 patients in a large reference center who underwent HSV tests. Using multivariable Cox and cause-specific (cs) models, we investigated the association between HSV reactivation and mortality or healthcare-associated infections. Results Of the 153 COVID-19 patients admitted for ≥ 48 h from Feb-2020 to Feb-2021, 40/153 (26.1%) patients had confirmed HSV-1 reactivation (19/61 (31.1%) with HSV-positive respiratory samples, and 36/146 (24.7%) with HSV-positive blood samples. Day-60 mortality was higher in patients with HSV-1 reactivation (57.5%) versus without (33.6%, p = 0.001). After adjustment for mortality risk factors, HSV-1 reactivation was associated with an increased mortality risk (hazard risk [HR] 2.05; 95% CI 1.16–3.62; p = 0.01). HAP/VAP occurred in 67/153 (43.8%) and ICU-BSI in 42/153 (27.5%) patients. In patients with HSV-1 reactivation, multivariable cause-specific models showed an increased risk of HAP/VAP (csHR 2.38, 95% CI 1.06–5.39, p = 0.037), but not of ICU-BSI. Conclusions HSV-1 reactivation in critically ill COVID-19 patients was associated with an increased risk of day-60 mortality and HAP/VAP.

Download Full-text

Antibiotic Use Among Hospitalized Children and Neonates in China: Results From Quarterly Point Prevalence Surveys in 2019

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.601561 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Chu-ning Wang ◽

Jianning Tong ◽

Bin Yi ◽

Benedikt D. Huttner ◽

Yibing Cheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Point Prevalence ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Hospitalized Children ◽

Prevalence Survey ◽

Common Diagnosis ◽

Tract Infections ◽

The Impact

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a significant clinical problem in pediatric practice in China. Surveillance of antibiotic use is one of the cornerstones to assess the quality of antibiotic use and plan and assess the impact of antibiotic stewardship interventions.Methods: We carried out quarterly point prevalence surveys referring to WHO Methodology of Point Prevalence Survey in 16 Chinese general and children’s hospitals in 2019 to assess antibiotic use in pediatric inpatients based on the WHO AWaRe metrics and to detect potential problem areas. Data were retrieved via the hospital information systems on the second Monday of March, June, September and December. Antibiotic prescribing patterns were analyzed across and within diagnostic conditions and ward types according to WHO AWaRe metrics and Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification.Results: A total of 22,327 hospitalized children were sampled, of which 14,757 (66.1%) were prescribed ≥1 antibiotic. Among the 3,936 sampled neonates (≤1 month), 59.2% (n = 2,331) were prescribed ≥1 antibiotic. A high percentage of combination antibiotic therapy was observed in PICUs (78.5%), pediatric medical wards (68.1%) and surgical wards (65.2%). For hospitalized children prescribed ≥1 antibiotic, the most common diagnosis on admission were lower respiratory tract infections (43.2%, n = 6,379). WHO Watch group antibiotics accounted for 70.4% of prescriptions (n = 12,915). The most prescribed antibiotic ATC classes were third-generation cephalosporins (41.9%, n = 7,679), followed by penicillins/β-lactamase inhibitors (16.1%, n = 2,962), macrolides (12.1%, n = 2,214) and carbapenems (7.7%, n = 1,331).Conclusion: Based on these data, overuse of broad-spectrum Watch group antibiotics is common in Chinese pediatric inpatients. Specific interventions in the context of the national antimicrobial stewardship framework should aim to reduce the use of Watch antibiotics and routine surveillance of antibiotic use using WHO AWaRe metrics should be implemented.

Download Full-text