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Pediatric hospitals are uniquely positioned to be impacted by antimicrobial waste. To explore this issue, we reviewed the current literature to identify the reasons, costs, and potential solutions to waste. Identified reasons for waste included weight-based dosing, medication order changes due to changing patient status, loss or expiration of doses, and medication errors. The cost of waste included financial costs, promotion of antimicrobial resistance, and generation of greenhouse gases. Proposed interventions to reduce waste included an early switch from intravenous to oral administration, required stop dates, standardized dosing times, and optimization of the pharmacy batching process. However, additional studies are needed to assess the potential correlation between these proposed interventions and waste reduction. Antimicrobial stewardship programs have been identified as a group that can play a crucial role in partnering to implement these interventions to potentially reduce antimicrobial waste and promote better healthcare sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes ceftazidime-avibactam use in 17 young children from a resource-constrained country, where intra-abdominal infection was common. All-cause mortality was 53%. Earlier initiation, dose optimization, recording infusion times, and reviewing the need for additional antibiotics were identified as easy-to-implement-antimicrobial-stewardship interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acute otitis media (AOM) accounts for roughly 25% of antibiotics prescribed to children annually. Despite national guidelines that recommend short (5–7 days) durations of antibiotics for children 2 years and older with AOM, most receive long (10 day) courses. This study aims to evaluate antibiotic durations prescribed for children aged 2–17 years with uncomplicated AOM across two pediatric academic health systems, and to assess the variability in prescribed durations between and within each system. Methods Electronic medical record data from 135 care locations at two health systems were retrospectively analyzed. Outpatient encounters for children aged 2–17 years with a diagnosis of AOM from 2019 to 2022 were included. The primary outcome was the percent of 5-day prescriptions. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of 7-day prescriptions, 10-day prescriptions, prescriptions for nonfirst-line antibiotics, cases associated with treatment failure, AOM recurrence, and adverse drug events. Results Among 73 198 AOM encounters for children 2 years and older, 61 612 (84%) encounters resulted in an antibiotic prescription. Most prescriptions were for 10 days (45 689; 75%), 20% were for 7 days (12 060), and only 5% were for 5 days (3144). Treatment failure, AOM recurrence, adverse drug events, hospitalizations, and office, emergency department or urgent-care visits for AOM within 30 days after the index visit were rare. Conclusions Despite national guidelines that recommend shorter durations for children with uncomplicated AOM, 75% of our cohort received 10-day durations. Shortening durations of therapy for AOM could reduce antibiotic exposure and should be a priority of pediatric antibiotic stewardship programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US healthcare system's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change is disproportionately high and harms the public. Several medical specialties are now reassessing how they can mitigate healthcare's harmful environmental impact. Healthcare sustainability is broadly defined as measures to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and other pollutants generated during the healthcare delivery process. Prior efforts and programs by infectious diseases (ID) professionals, such as antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control can form a framework for ID professionals to help apply this expertise to healthcare environmental sustainability more broadly. This call to action proposes strategies for ID societies and professionals to incorporate climate change education for trainees, increase research and funding opportunities in healthcare sustainability, and calls for action by ID societies to champion system changes to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community Pharmacists (CPs) are easily accessible and can advocate for the appropriate use of antibiotics in children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 47 CPs and 46 parents/caregivers. Both groups expressed challenges to intervening when antibiotics have already been prescribed and highlighted the need for more support for CPs to make informed decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) account for most antibiotic prescriptions in pediatrics. Although US guidelines continue to recommend ≥10 days antibiotics for common ARTIs, evidence suggests that 5-day courses can be safe and effective. Academic imprinting seems to play a major role in the continued use of prolonged antibiotic durations. In this report, we discuss the evidence supporting short antibiotic courses for group A streptococcal pharyngitis, acute otitis media, and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. We discuss the basis for prolonged antibiotic course recommendations and recent literature investigating shorter courses. Prescribers in the United States should overcome academic imprinting and follow international trends to reduce antibiotic durations for common ARTIs, where 5 days is a safe and efficacious course when antibiotics are prescribed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute bacterial upper respiratory infections are common indications for antibiotics in pediatrics, and many prescriptions may be inappropriate. Novel approaches to outpatient antimicrobial stewardship interventions are needed. This quasi-experimental study of an order set and best practice advisory alert targeting cefdinir prescriptions demonstrated an 8.4% decrease in cefdinir prescribing (P ≤.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational studies in adults suggest nasal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) swabs have a high negative predictive value (NPV) for ruling out MRSA pneumonia, however, pediatric data are limited. This retrospective study of 505 pediatric patients found a 99.8% NPV among children with suspected respiratory infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common cause of bacterial pharyngitis is Group A Streptococcus (GAS). Accurate diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis is crucial to identify children who would benefit from antibiotic treatment. Rapid diagnosis has the potential to reduce antibiotic overuse. Current national guidelines differ in their recommendations for GAS testing. While rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) are widely used, their sensitivity is considered too low for stand-alone testing by several expert bodies. Newer molecular tests using nucleic acid amplification show higher accuracy and fast results, but their cost, complexity, and very high sensitivity may limit widespread adoption. This review provides up-to-date evidence regarding rapid diagnostic testing and antimicrobial stewardship in children with sore throat. We discuss discrepancies across GAS testing guidelines at the international level, patient selection for testing for GAS, rapid test accuracy, and the potential role of rapid GAS tests to promote antibiotic stewardship, with emphasis on emerging rapid molecular tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to evaluate whether children hospitalized with acute respiratory infections experienced differences in antibiotic use by race and ethnicity. We found that likelihood of broad-spectrum antibiotic receipt differed across racial and ethnic groups. Future work should confirm this finding, evaluate causes, and ensure equitable antibiotic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission rates among children with conjunctivitis were low and antibiotic use was not associated with reduced transmission. Policies recommending exclusion from daycare and school for conjunctivitis should be scrutinized as they may not reduce transmission and may increase unnecessary antibiotic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (BFPP), a multiplex PCR panel for the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections, has been proposed as a tool for antimicrobial stewardship. Few studies evaluate real-world implementation of the BFPP and no studies focus exclusively on children. Our institution implemented BFPP testing without restrictions. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study in children hospitalized at St. Louis Children's Hospital to (1) characterize the use of the BFPP in pediatric patients and (2) assess how results impacted antibiotic use. We included all BFPP tests obtained during the first year after the introduction of the test, September 2021 through August 2022. The primary outcome was change in antibiotic therapy within 24 hours of results, which was compared to the potential change in antibiotic therapy determined by two infectious diseases clinicians. Results One hundred sixty-nine tests from 126 patients were included. Nine patients were immunocompromised and 19 had chronic tracheostomy. The majority of tests were sent from tracheal aspirate specimens (92%) and from patients in an intensive care unit (94%). Only 51% of tests were obtained due to respiratory failure or suspected pneumonia. For 80% of test results, there was potential to change antibiotics, but change occurred in only 46% of tests in practice. Antibiotic escalation was more common (26%) than de-escalation (15%) or discontinuation (4.1%). Conclusions In a cohort of pediatric patients tested with the BFPP, the majority of tests were sent from tracheal aspirates and less than half of tests were associated with a change in antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics. Bacteria that produce beta-lactamase are an increasingly frequent cause of AOM and may be resistant to amoxicillin, the currently recommended treatment for AOM. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of children treated with amoxicillin for AOM and assessed whether outcomes vary by infecting pathogen or beta-lactamase production. Methods 205 children 6-35 months old diagnosed with AOM and prescribed amoxicillin were included. Bacterial culture and qualitative multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction were performed on nasopharyngeal swabs collected at enrollment. Parents completed surveys assessing symptoms, antibiotic adherence, and potential adverse events. The primary outcome was treatment failure with amoxicillin. Secondary outcomes included recurrence, symptom improvement, resolution, and adverse drug events (ADE). Results 8 children (5.4%) experienced treatment failure and 14 (6.8%) had recurrence. By day 5, 152 (74.1%) children had symptom improvement and 97 (47.3%) had resolution. Parents reported ADE for 56 (27.3%) children. Among 149 children who did not take any amoxicillin before enrollment, 98 (65.8%) had one or more beta-lactamase-producing bacteria. Common bacterial otopathogens were Moraxella catarrhalis (79, 53.0%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (51, 34.2%), Haemophilus influenzae (30, 20.1%), and Staphylococcus aureus (21, 14.1%). Treatment failure did not differ between children that did (5, 5.1%) and did not (3, 5.9%) have beta-lactamase-producing otopathogens (p = .05). Conclusions Among children diagnosed with AOM treated with amoxicillin, treatment failure was uncommon and did not differ by pathogen or beta-lactamase production. These data support guidance recommending amoxicillin despite an increasing prevalence of beta-lactamase-producing bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) promote optimal antimicrobial use to prevent resistance, improve outcomes, and reduce costs. We explored how pediatric ASPs enact prospective audit and feedback (PAF) and preauthorization and characterized programs' perceptions of how these choices affected attainment of stewardship goals. Methods We conducted focus groups with US pediatric ASP practitioners, organized by predominant strategy: PAF, preauthorization, or a hybrid. We asked open-ended questions about organization, staffing, and operation of these strategies, as well as rationales for and perceived advantages and disadvantages of these choices. We used applied thematic analysis to analyze transcripts, organizing coded text into themes and categories. We formulated a conceptual model for how the design and performance of PAF and preauthorization affect stewardship goals and stewards' work experiences. Results Eighteen physicians and 14 pharmacists from 24 hospitals participated in five focus groups. Stewards described myriad advantages and limitations of PAF and preauthorization that support or detract from stewardship goals. For example, PAF uncovered institutional trends in antibiotic use and fostered relationship building but was time-consuming. Preauthorization efficiently reduced broad-spectrum antimicrobial use, yet offered limited educational opportunities. How these strategies facilitated or impeded appropriate antimicrobial use in turn affected stewards' professional satisfaction, creating a feedback loop that could reinforced positive or negative outcomes. Conclusions ASPs reported differing emphasis on and implementation of PAF and preauthorization. Each strategy entailed contrasting benefits and trade-offs for steward satisfaction and perceived efficacy, suggesting that a hybrid approach could enable ASPs to maximize strengths of each to mitigate drawbacks of the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Critically ill pediatric patients are frequently initiated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) active antibiotics during infection evaluation even though MRSA infections are rare in many patient populations. The MRSA nasal swab polymerase chain reaction assay (MRSA-NS-PCR) is a test that has been shown to have a high negative predictive value (NPV) for MRSA infection in adults. This study evaluated the diagnostic test characteristics of the MRSA-NS-PCR in predicting the presence of MRSA infection in critically ill pediatric patients. Study Design A retrospective cohort study was performed in a 44-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between 2013 and 2017. 3860 pediatric patients (54% male, median age 4 years [IQR 1–11 years]) admitted to the PICU who met pediatric systemic inflammatory response syndrome (pSIRS) criteria, were screened with a MRSA-NS-PCR, and had cultures obtained within seven days of MRSA-NS-PCR collection were included. Predictive values and post-test probabilities of the MRSA-NS-PCR for MRSA infection were calculated. Results MRSA-NS-PCR was positive in 8.6% of patients. MRSA infection was identified in 40 patients, equaling an incidence rate of 2 per 1000 patient days. The MRSA-NS-PCR demonstrated a positive predictive value (PPV) of 9.7%, a NPV of 99.8%, and a post-test probability for a negative test of 0.2% for MRSA infection. Conclusions The MRSA-NS-PCR has a poor PPV but a high NPV for MRSA infection in PICU patients when the incidence of MRSA infection is low. Creation of protocols to guide antimicrobial selection based on MRSA-NS-PCR results may lead to improved antimicrobial stewardship and significant risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with varicella immunoglobulin is recommended to minimize risk of varicella complications for high-risk children. However, providers frequently use alternatives like acyclovir or intravenous immunoglobulin. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of PEP for varicella in children from January 2009 to December 2019. Data were provided by 47 children's hospitals who participate in the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. Patients with clinical encounters for varicella exposure were reviewed. Choice of varicella PEP regimens, including differences by underlying condition and institution, and incidence of varicella disease were determined. Results A total of 1704 patients with first clinical encounters for varicella met inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 509 (29.9%) were prescribed PEP after varicella exposure, and 65 (3.8%) ultimately had a subsequent encounter for varicella disease. Of 509 patients who received PEP, acyclovir was most frequently prescribed (n  = 195, 38.3%), followed by varicella immunoglobulin (n  = 146, 28.7%), IVIG (n  = 115, 22.6%), and combination therapy (n  = 53, 10.4%). The highest proportion of varicella immunoglobulin use (10/20, 50%) was amongst children with diagnoses of rheumatological/gastrointestinal conditions. The highest proportion of acyclovir use (29/684, 4.2%) was amongst children with diagnoses of oncology/stem cell transplant conditions. The proportion of patients who subsequently had clinical encounters for varicella disease was highest for Acyclovir (30/195, 15.4%) followed by varicella immunoglobulin (5/146, 3.4%), combination therapy (2/53, 3.8%), and intravenous immunoglobulin alone (0/115) (P  < .0001). Conclusions Varicella PEP in high-risk children was highly varied among children's hospitals. In our dataset, use of acyclovir was associated with a higher rate of subsequent encounters for Varicella disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Antibiotics are often overprescribed for pediatric conjunctivitis. We implemented a system-level quality improvement (QI) intervention to reduce unnecessary ophthalmic antibiotic use. Methods The multi-faceted intervention in Denver, CO comprised a clinical care pathway, nurse protocol modifications, electronic health record (EHR) changes, parent education materials, and clinician education. We evaluated children aged 6 months–17 years with conjunctivitis seen between November 2018 and December 2022. A multi-interrupted time series model evaluated the effectiveness of the intervention over three time periods: Pre-COVID, Pre-Intervention (November 2018–February 2020), COVID, Pre-Intervention (March 2020–March 2021), and Post-Intervention (April 2021–December 2022). Fisher's exact tests compared treatment failure and healthcare utilization rates between time periods and among children receiving or not receiving ophthalmic antibiotics. Results Among 6960 eligible encounters, ophthalmic antibiotic use was reduced by 18.8% (95% CI: 16.3, 21.3) from Pre-COVID, Pre-Intervention to Post-Intervention. During the Pre-Intervention period following the onset of COVID, a reduction of 16.1% (95% CI: 12.9, 19.3) was observed. Implementation of the intervention resulted in an additional 2.7% (95% CI: −0.4, 5.7) reduction in antibiotic prescribing, primarily in younger children (ages 6 months–5 years). The greatest reduction in prescribing occurred for nurse triage encounters with an 82.1% (95% CI: 76.8, 87.5) reduction in prescribing rates (92.6%–10.5%). Treatment failure occurred in 1301 (18.7%) children and was more common among children that received an ophthalmic antibiotic than those that did not (20.0 vs 17.9%; P  = .03). Conclusion The QI intervention significantly reduced ophthalmic antibiotic prescribing for pediatric conjunctivitis without increasing treatment failure rates or health care utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDespite increasing neonatal antibiotic stewardship efforts, understanding of interhospital variation in neonatal antibiotic use is limited.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted among primarily academically affiliated hospitals participating in the Vizient Clinical Database/Resource Manager. Neonatal discharges were identified by admission age

Background Most antibiotic use occurs in ambulatory settings. No benchmarks exist for pediatric institutions to assess their outpatient antibiotic use and compare prescribing rates to peers. We aimed to share pediatric outpatient antibiotic use reports and benchmarking metrics nationally. Methods We invited institutions from the Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship OutPatient (SHARPS-OP) Collaborative to contribute quarterly aggregate reports on antibiotic use from January 2019 to June 2022. Outpatient settings included emergency departments (ED), urgent care centers (UCC), primary care clinics (PCC) and telehealth encounters. Benchmarking metrics included the percentage of: (1) all acute encounters resulting in antibiotic prescriptions; (2) acute respiratory infection (ARI) encounters resulting in antibiotic prescriptions; and among ARI encounters receiving antibiotics, (3) the percentage receiving amoxicillin (" Amoxicillin index "); and (4) the percentage receiving azithromycin (" Azithromycin index "). We collected rates of antibiotic prescriptions with durations ≤7 days and >10 days from institutions able to provide validated duration data. Results Twenty-one institutions submitted aggregate reports. Percent ARI encounters receiving antibiotics were highest in the UCC (40.2%), and lowest in telehealth (19.1%). Amoxicillin index was highest for the ED (76.2%), and lowest for telehealth (55.8%), while the azithromycin index was similar for ED, UCC, and PCC (3.8%, 3.7%, and 5.0% respectively). Antibiotic duration of ≤7 days varied substantially (46.4% for ED, 27.8% UCC, 23.7% telehealth, and 16.4% PCC). Conclusions We developed a benchmarking platform for key pediatric outpatient antibiotic use metrics drawing data from multiple pediatric institutions nationally. These data may serve as a baseline measurement for future improvement work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Penicillin allergy is the most common antibiotic allergy, yet most children labeled as allergic tolerate penicillin. The impact of inaccurate penicillin allergy labels (PALs) on pediatric outpatients is unknown. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes between children with and without a PAL after treatment for outpatient respiratory tract infections (RTI). Methods A retrospective, longitudinal birth cohort study was performed in children who received care in 90 pediatric primary care practices in Philadelphia and Houston metropolitan areas. Prescribing and clinical outcomes of children with a PAL at the time of an RTI were compared to non-allergic children, adjusting for potential confounders. Results Antibiotics were prescribed for 663,473 non-recurrent RTIs among 200,977 children. Children with a PAL (5% of cohort) were more likely than non-allergic children to receive broad-spectrum antibiotics (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 3.24, 95% CI 3.22-3.26) and second-line antibiotics (aRR 4.87, 95% CI 4.83, 4.89). Compared to non-allergic children receiving first-line antibiotics, children with a PAL were more likely to return with adverse drug events (aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.18–1.39). There was no difference in treatment failure between groups (aRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90–1.00). Conclusions PALs lead to higher rates of broad-spectrum and second-line antibiotic prescribing in children treated for RTIs in primary care and contribute to unnecessary healthcare utilization through increased adverse events. Given the frequency of PALs, efforts to prevent inappropriate penicillin allergy labeling and promote de-labeling of existing inaccurate allergy labels may improve care of children treated for common bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Variability exists in treatment duration for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and urinary tract infection (UTI) in children and may be associated with non-clinical factors. Methods A retrospective study was conducted of patients treated for outpatient CAP and UTI in a children's hospital network from 2016 to 2019. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of long antibiotic duration (≥10 days). Hospitalization within 30 days was determined. Results Overall, 2124 prescriptions for CAP and 1116 prescriptions for UTI were included. Prescriptions were ≥10 days in 59.9% and 47.6% for CAP and UTI, respectively. Long durations were more common in the emergency department (ED) than in clinics for UTI's (P =.0082), and more common in convenient care for CAP (P =.045). In UTI's, Asian and Hispanic patients received shorter durations than white patients. Younger children had greater odds of long duration for both diagnoses. Medicaid insurance was associated with long therapy for UTI (OR: 1.660, P =.0042) and CAP (OR: 1.426, P =.0169). Residents and fellows were less likely to give long durations than attending physicians (P <.0001). APNs were more likely to administer long therapies in CAP (P =.0062). Subsequent hospitalizations were uncommon for UTI (n = 10) and CAP (n = 20). Conclusions Younger age, Medicaid insurance, ED, and convenient care visits were associated with a long duration of therapy. Residents and fellows were less likely to give long durations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little is known about the distribution of antibiotic use in individual children over time. The amoxicillin index is a recently proposed metric to assess first-line antibiotic prescribing to children. Methods We constructed a cohort of continuously enrolled Medicaid children using enrollment claims from 2012 to 2017. Pharmacy claims were used to identify antibiotic prescription data. Results Among 169 724 children with 6 years of Medicaid enrollment, 10 804 (6.4%) had no antibiotic prescription claims during the study period; 43 473 (25.6%) had 1-3 antibiotics; 34 318 (20.2%) had 4-6 antibiotics; 30 994 (18.3%) had 7-10; 35 018 (20.6%) had 11-20; and 15 117 (8.9%) children had more than 20 antibiotic prescriptions. Overall, the population had a median total of 6 antibiotic prescriptions during the study period, but use was higher in certain patient groups: younger age (8 antibiotic fills over the 6-year period, [IQR 4-14]), White children (7 [IQR 3-13], compared to 3 [IQR 1-6] in Black children), rural settings (9 [IQR 4-15]) and chronic conditions (8 [IQR 4-15]). Higher-use groups also had lower rates of amoxicillin fills, reported as amoxicillin indices. Conclusions Antibiotic use is common among most children insured by Kentucky Medicaid. A number of fills over time were higher in younger children, and in White children, children living in rural settings and children with chronic conditions. Patients with higher recurrent antibiotic use are important targets for designing high-impact antibiotic stewardship efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chronic airway infection and inflammation characteristic of cystic fibrosis (CF) ultimately leads to progressive lung disease, the primary cause of death in persons with CF (pwCF). Despite many recent advances in CF clinical care, efforts to preserve lung function in many pwCF still necessitate frequent antimicrobial use. Incorporating antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) principles into management of pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) would facilitate development of best practices for antimicrobial utilization at CF care centers. However, AMS can be challenging in CF given the unique aspects of chronic, polymicrobial infection in the CF airways, lack of evidence-based guidelines for managing PEx, limited utility for antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and increased frequency of adverse drug events in pwCF. This article describes current evidence-based antimicrobial treatment strategies for pwCF, highlights the potential for AMS to beneficially impact CF care, and provides practical strategies for integrating AMS programs into the management of PEx in pwCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an increase in antibiotic use in different settings. We describe the antibiotic prescribing prevalence, associated factors and trends, as well as concomitant bacterial infections in children hospitalized with COVID-19 or multisystemic inflammatory syndrome related to SARS-CoV-2 in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing avoidable antimicrobial exposure to pediatric patients with cancer is achievable and necessary to promote optimal short- and long-term outcomes. Multiple evidence-based practices are already well established but should be more consistently implemented. Important opportunities exist to further improve the evidence to guide selective antimicrobial use in pediatric oncology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Quality metrics for antibiotic prescribing by pediatricians are limited. We sought to define a novel measure that assesses clinicians' overall antibiotic prescribing. Methods Using electronic health record (EHR) data from 2018 to 2019 for children 3 months to 17 years of age from 53 practices within a large pediatric network, we grouped encounters into Reason for Visit categories using the classification system of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and analyzed the proportion of encounters with an antibiotic prescription. Categories were sorted according to the attributable proportion of encounters with an antibiotic prescribed. The proposed metric—the Antibiotic Likelihood Index (ALI)—was defined as the proportion of encounters with an antibiotic prescribed among categories that accounted for >80% of all encounters with an antibiotic prescribed. The ALI was calculated for the entire network and for individual prescribers, and the distribution among prescribers was described. Results Six Reason for Visit categories—cough, ear complaints, fever, sore throat, rash, and congestion/upper respiratory infection—accounted for 82.4% of all antibiotics prescribed. Among the 222 682 encounters for the top 6 categories combined, 67 368 (30.3%) had an antibiotic prescribed, defined as the ALI for the entire sample. The index among individual prescribers ranged from 7.5% to 57.2% (interquartile range 24.3% to 34.9%). The correlation for individual prescribers between 2018 and 2019 was high (R 2 = 0.80). Conclusions The ALI, a proposed new metric of pediatric antibiotic prescribing, can be readily calculated from EHR data and captures the range of antibiotic prescribing among pediatricians for common clinical scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Virginia consistently ranks in the top two nationally for per capita antibiotic prescription rates in both pediatric and adult outpatient populations. We present the first descriptive analysis evaluating outpatient prescription rates within the WV pediatric Medicaid population, which demonstrated significant antibiotic prescribing variability by provider type, specialty, and geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a national survey of pediatric infectious diseases (ID) clinicians on outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) practices and post-discharge ID follow-up. Only 15% of sites required ID consultation for all OPAT. ID division resources for post-discharge care varied. Opportunities exist to increase ID involvement in post-discharge management of serious infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aspiration pneumonia (AP) treatment is variable with limited available guidance on optimal antibiotic choice and duration. This study evaluated the impact of antibiotic regimen and duration on treatment failure for AP in children and correlated the effects of antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) interventions on treatment duration. Methods Hospitalized children who received antibiotics for AP were identified through an existing ASP repository. Diagnosis was confirmed through ASP documentation with either an international classification of diseases 9/10 code or physician diagnosis of AP. Incidence of treatment failure (necrotizing pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema, or retreatment) was compared between patients receiving shorter (≤7 days) vs longer (>7 days) course of antibiotics and between various empiric/final antibiotic regimens utilized. Duration of treatment was evaluated in patients with or without an ASP intervention. Results Four hundred and nineteen treatment courses for AP were included. Nineteen episodes (4.5%) of treatment failure were identified. No difference in treatment failure was observed between shorter vs longer courses (8 vs 11 episodes). An aminopenicillin plus beta-lactamase inhibitor was most frequently utilized for both empiric (47.2%) and final treatment (67.5%). Treatment failure rates did not differ with length of intravenous therapy nor empiric/final antibiotic regimen chosen. ASP interventions targeting duration were associated with significantly shorter courses (6.28 vs 7.46 days; P =.04). Conclusions Shorter courses of antibiotics did not result in more treatment failure for AP when compared to longer courses. Neither antibiotic choice nor route impacted treatment failure rates. ASPs may optimize the treatment of pediatric AP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are 2 primary approaches to prevent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in children: prevent transmission and acquisition of the organism and prevent the progression from colonization to disease. The most important interventions to reduce the risk of transmission include contact precautions, hand hygiene, and environmental disinfection. Glove use minimizes contamination of the hands by spores and is associated with reductions in CDI incidence. Hand hygiene with soap and water and disinfection with a sporicidal agent are recommended as the best approaches in hyperendemic settings. Because antibiotic exposure is the most important modifiable risk factor for CDI, antimicrobial stewardship focused on identified high-risk antibiotic classes (including clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, and third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins) is critical to preventing progression from colonization to infection. Despite clear evidence that antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are associated with reduced CDI rates in adults, data demonstrating the ASP impact on pediatric CDI are lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a survey of 396 caregivers of children, 119 (30%) reported requesting antibiotics from clinicians and 65 (16%) had stored antibiotics at home. In addition, 47 (12%) reported past or intended nonprescription antibiotic administration; this finding was associated with household income of ≥$75 000 annually (odds ratio 2.042, 95% confidence interval 1.01-4.14, P =.048). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three repeated point prevalence surveys (PPSs) were conducted in pediatric wards of 5 hospitals using the methodology developed by Global-PPS to identify key targets for interventions and antibiotic stewardship programs. Out of the 916 hospitalized patients, 865 (94.6%) were treated with at least 1 antibiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceftriaxone is one of the most common antibiotics prescribed for hospitalized children in the United States. However, ceftriaxone is not dosed consistently. Sepsis/serious bacterial infection had high dosing variability. Dosing for central nervous system infection was frequently suboptimal. Future efforts should focus on optimizing and standardizing ceftriaxone dosing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic overuse contributes to antibiotic resistance, which is a threat to public health. Antibiotic stewardship is a practice dedicated to prescribing antibiotics only when necessary and, when antibiotics are considered necessary, promoting the use of the appropriate agent(s), dose, duration, and route of therapy to optimize clinical outcomes while minimizing the unintended consequences of antibiotic use. Because there are differences in common infectious conditions, drug-specific considerations, and the evidence surrounding treatment recommendations (eg, first-line therapy and duration of therapy) between children and adults, this statement provides specific guidance for the pediatric population. This policy statement discusses the rationale for inpatient and outpatient antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs); essential personnel, infrastructure, and activities required; approaches to evaluating their effectiveness; and gaps in knowledge that require further investigation. Key guidance for both inpatient and outpatient ASPs are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Premature, very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates are at risk for early-onset sepsis and receive ampicillin and gentamicin post-birth. Antimicrobial stewardship supports short-course antibiotics, but how long antibiotic concentrations remain therapeutic post-last dose is unknown. Methods Using Monte Carlo simulations (NONMEM 7.3), we analyzed antibiotic exposures in a retrospective cohort of 34 689 neonates (<1500 g, 22-27 weeks of gestation). Therapeutic exposure for ampicillin and gentamicin was evaluated relative to the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for common pathogens (MIC 0.25-8 mcg/mL for group B s treptococcus [GBS] and Escherichia coli). Post-discontinuation antibiotic exposure (PDAE) was defined as the time from the last dose to time when concentration decreased below MIC. Results Neonates had a median (range) gestational age of 26 (22-27) weeks and BW, 790 g (400-1497). All ampicillin dosing regimens (50-100 mg/kg every 8-12 hours for 2-6 doses) achieved therapeutic exposures > MIC range. After the last dose, the PDAE mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) ranged from 34 to 50 hours (17–79) for E. coli (MIC 8) and 82 to 104 hours (95% CI: 39-122) for GBS (MIC 0.25); longer PDAE occurred with higher dose, shorter interval, and longer course. Short-course ampicillin (2 doses, 50 mg/kg every 12 hours) provided PDAE 34 hours for E. coli and 82 hours for GBS. Single-dose 5 mg/kg gentamicin provided PDAE > MIC 2 for 26 hours. Conclusions In VLBW neonates, ampicillin exposure remains therapeutic long after the last dose. Short-course ampicillin provided therapeutic exposures throughout the typical blood culture incubation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although febrile neutropenia (FN) is a frequent complication in children with cancer receiving chemotherapy, there remains significant variability in selection of route (intravenous [IV] vs oral) and length of therapy. We implemented a guideline with a goal to change practice from using IV antibiotics after hospital discharge to the use of step-down oral therapy with levofloxacin for most children with FN until absolute neutrophil count > 500. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of this guideline on home IV antibiotic use, and to evaluate the safety of implementation of this guideline. Methods We performed a quasi-experimental, pre–post study of discharge FN treatment at a stand-alone children's hospital in patients without bacteremia discharged between January 2013 and October 2018. In January 2015, a multidisciplinary team created a guideline to switch most children with FN to oral levofloxacin, which was formally implemented as of September 2017. Discharges during the postintervention period (after September 2017) were compared to discharges in the preintervention period (between January 2013 and December 2014). Results In adjusted multivariable regression analyses, the postimplementation period was associated with a decrease in home IV antibiotics (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 0.07 [95% confidence interval {CI},.03–.13]) and fewer IV antibiotic initiations within 24 hours of a new healthcare encounter up to 7 days after discharge (aRR, 0.39 [95% CI,.17–.93]) compared to the preintervention time period. Conclusions Step-down oral levofloxacin for children with FN who are afebrile with an ANC ≤ 500 at discharge is feasible and resulted in similar clinical outcomes compared to home IV antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cefdinir is frequently prescribed for pediatric infections despite lack of first-line indications. We reviewed Kentucky Medicaid claims from 2012 through 2016. Cefdinir prescriptions and spending significantly increased over the study period. Upper respiratory infections accounted for the majority of use. Inappropriate cefdinir use should be a priority for stewardship efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The antibiotic use rate (AUR) has emerged as a potential metric for neonatal antibiotic use, but reported center-level AURs are limited by differences in case mix. The objective of this study was to identify patient characteristics associated with AUR among a large cohort of preterm infants. Methods Retrospective observational study using the Optum Neonatal Database, including infants born from January 1, 2010 through November 30, 2016 with gestational age 23–34 weeks admitted to neonatal units across the United States. Exposures were patient-level characteristics including length of stay, gestational age, sex, race/ethnicity, bacterial sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and survival status. The primary outcome was AUR, defined as days with ≥ 1 systemic antibiotic administered divided by length of stay. Descriptive statistics, univariable comparative analyses, and generalized linear models were utilized. Results Of 17 910 eligible infants, 17 836 infants (99.6%) from 1090 centers were included. Median gestation was 32.9 (interquartile range [IQR], 30.3–34) weeks. Median length of stay was 25 (IQR, 15–46) days and varied by gestation. Overall median AUR was 0.13 (IQR, 0–0.26) and decreased over time. Gestational age, sex, and race/ethnicity were independently associated with AUR (P   <  .01). AUR and gestational age had an unexpected inverse parabolic relationship, which persisted when only surviving infants without bacterial sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis were analyzed. Conclusions Neonatal AURs are influenced by patient-level characteristics besides infection and survival status, including gestational age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Neonatal antibiotic use metrics that account for patient-level characteristics as well as morbidity case mix may allow for more accurate comparisons and better inform neonatal antibiotic stewardship efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) account for most antibiotic prescriptions in pediatrics. Although US guidelines continue to recommend ≥10 days antibiotics for common ARTIs, evidence suggests that 5-day courses can be safe and effective. Academic imprinting seems to play a major role in the continued use of prolonged antibiotic durations. In this report, we discuss the evidence supporting short antibiotic courses for group A streptococcal pharyngitis, acute otitis media, and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. We discuss the basis for prolonged antibiotic course recommendations and recent literature investigating shorter courses. Prescribers in the United States should overcome academic imprinting and follow international trends to reduce antibiotic durations for common ARTIs, where 5 days is a safe and efficacious course when antibiotics are prescribed., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Influenza is a significant cause of childhood morbidity and death; it contributes to up to 16% of hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses worldwide. Novel rapid viral diagnostic tests, including molecular diagnostic tests, have the potential to significantly affect both time to diagnosis and selection of optimal anti-infective therapy. However, little is known about current treatment algorithms used in US hospitals. In this study, for hospitalized children in the United States, we aimed to define the current approaches to influenza diagnosis and treatment and to explore reasons for their potential variation. In this study, we aimed to define the current approaches to pediatric influenza diagnosis and treatment in US hospitals, and to explore reasons for their potential variation. Our results suggest a rise in the availability and use of rapid molecular diagnostic testing in addition to continued variability in anti-infective management, particularly with regard to antiviral use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Reliance on tests that detect only the presence of toxigenic Clostridium difficile can result in overdiagnosis and overtreatment of C difficile infection (CDI). The C difficile polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycle threshold (CT) can sensitively predict the presence of free C difficile toxins; however, the clinical application for this testing strategy remains unexplored. We evaluated the impact of dual PCR and toxin result reporting, as predicted by the CT, on CDI management and outcomes in children. Methods Before the intervention, results for C difficile testing at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford were reported as PCR positive (PCR+) or negative (PCR−) according to the GeneXpert C diff Epi tcdB PCR assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, California). Beginning October 5, 2016, the presence of free toxins, as predicted by the CT, was reported also. The CDI treatment rates 1 year before and 18 months after implementation of toxin reporting were compared. Demographic and treatment-related data were collected, and patient outcomes were followed up 8 weeks later. Results CDI treatment decreased 22% after the intervention (96% [preintervention] vs 74% [postintervention]; P <.001). During the postintervention period, there were 152 PCR+ C difficile results, and 94 (62%) of them were toxin positive (toxin+) according to the CT. Of the 58 PCR+/toxin-negative (toxin−) results, 38 (66%) did not result in CDI treatment. Seven (18%) of the untreated PCR+/toxin− patients underwent repeat testing within 8 weeks, and 5 (13%) of them were subsequently PCR+/toxin+ and treated. No CDI-related complications were identified. Conclusions Addition of the CT-predicted C difficile toxin result to PCR reporting reduces the proportion of PCR+ children treated for CDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Biomarkers can facilitate safe antibiotic discontinuation in critically ill patients without bacterial infection. Methods We tested the ability of a biomarker-based algorithm to reduce excess antibiotic administration in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) without bacterial infections (uninfected) in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The algorithm suggested that PICU clinicians stop antibiotics if (1) C-reactive protein <4 mg/dL and procalcitonin <1 ng/mL at SIRS onset and (2) no evidence of bacterial infection by exam/testing by 48 hours. We evaluated excess broad-spectrum antibiotic use, defined as administration on days 3–9 after SIRS onset in uninfected children. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared unadjusted excess length of therapy (LOT) in the 34 months before (Period 1) and 12 months after (Period 2) implementation of this algorithm, stratified by biomarker values. Segmented linear regression evaluated excess LOT among all uninfected episodes over time and between the periods. Results We identified 457 eligible SIRS episodes without bacterial infection, 333 in Period 1 and 124 in Period 2. When both biomarkers were below the algorithm's cut-points (n = 48 Period 1, n = 31 Period 2), unadjusted excess LOT was lower in Period 2 (IRR, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.30–0.93). Among all 457 uninfected episodes, there were no significant differences in LOT (coefficient 0.9, P =.99) between the periods on segmented regression. Conclusions Implementation of a biomarker-based algorithm did not decrease overall antibiotic exposure among all uninfected patients in our PICU, although exposures were reduced in the subset of SIRS episodes where biomarkers were low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate suboptimal discharge antibiotic prescribing at a children's hospital and found that 27% of the prescriptions were suboptimal. Thirty-three percent of the patients who might have qualified for solid dosage forms received liquid dosages instead. Our findings suggest that opportunities exist for discharge antibiotic-stewardship and pill-swallowing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Meeting antibiotic stewardship goals in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is challenging because of the unique nature of newborns and the lack of specificity of clinical signs of sepsis. Antibiotics are commonly continued for 48 hours pending culture results and clinical status. The goal of this study was to examine if the implementation of a 48-hour automatic stop (autostop) order during NICU admissions would decrease antibiotic use at UnityPoint Health–Meriter. Methods An observational double-cohort study was performed in a level 3 NICU. Antibiotic use was evaluated before and after the autostop initiative. The admission order set included 48 hours of ampicillin and gentamicin coverage. Results After the autostop initiation, total doses given per patient decreased by 35% and doses per patient-day decreased by 25% (P <.0001). The greatest effect was a 66% decrease in the use of vancomycin, an antibiotic not included in the admission order set. Providers proactively continued antibiotics for infants in whom they had high suspicion for sepsis and in those with positive blood or cerebral spinal fluid culture results. Conclusions An admission-order autostop was highly effective at decreasing antibiotic usage with no doses intended for a pathogen missed. Fewer doses of certain antibiotics outside of the admission order set were administered, particularly vancomycin, which results in our speculation that provider awareness of the antibiotic stewardship initiative might have altered prescribing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We instituted a new antimicrobial stewardship approach that involves review of all antimicrobial agents and communication of interventions in person by a pharmacist–physician team termed handshake stewardship. The acceptance rate in this study was 86%, intervention rates were higher with a physician, and interventions on antibiotics not reviewed by other strategies were made frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hospital practice patterns vary for switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics for community-acquired pneumonia in pediatric patients, but it is unknown how these practice patterns affect hospital lengths of stay and costs. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 78673 pediatric patients (aged 3 months to 17 years) hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia. Analyses were performed with data from the Pediatric Health Information System between 2007 and 2016, including discharge data from 48 freestanding children's hospitals. Patients who received antibiotics used to treat aspiration pneumonia and patients with a complex chronic condition were excluded to focus the study on uncomplicated cases. We modeled hospital practice patterns using hospital-level averages for the last day of service on which patients received antibiotics intravenously or first day of service on which patients received antibiotics orally. Results We found that a 1-day decrease in the hospital-level average last day of service on which a patient received antibiotics intravenously reduced the average length of stay by 0.58 day (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.69 to −0.47 day) and average cost by $1332 (95% CI, −$2363 to −$300). Results were similar when hospital practice patterns were modeled using the average first day of service on which a patient received antibiotics orally. These reductions in lengths of stay and costs were not associated with a difference in 30-day readmission rates. Conclusions Given the reductions in lengths of stay and costs without sacrificing patient outcomes (readmissions), antimicrobial stewardship programs could target provider education on the duration of intravenous antibiotic therapy as a way to reduce resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]