(Press-News.org) ARLINGTON, VA, August 9, 2012—The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS) today released the largest and most rigorous evaluation to date of the impact on reducing the days of antibiotic therapy in a children's hospital using a prospective-audit-with-feedback antibiotic stewardship program (ASP). The study utilized a control group of the 25-member children's hospitals of the Child Health Corporation of America. A companion article describes how the ASP was created within this 317-bed tertiary care children's hospital and clinicians' attitudes toward it—the first published account of such a pediatric program.
Up to 35% of inpatient antibiotic prescriptions are either unnecessary or inappropriate. The Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) 2007 guideline on the implementation of hospital ASPs described two core stewardship strategies to curb the rise of drug-resistant microbes: prospective-audit-with-feedback, and preauthorization. IDSA said that research would be needed to determine whether these strategies would be effective in pediatrics.
In this more-than-33-month study of 8,765 patients, Newland et al, observed a significant decrease in antibiotic usage—ranging from a 37% decrease in the early months, to 13% at the end of the observation. In particular, the study showed up to a 19% monthly reduction in broad-spectrum antibiotics, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended avoiding in order to prevent resistance in hospitalized children.
In the companion article, Stach et al, describe the five-part process they used to create their ASP, including: forming a multi-disciplinary team; determining the type of program (prospective-audit-with-feedback) and which antimicrobials to monitor; deciding which mechanism to use in identifying patients (a report was created in the hospital's EMR system); developing and implementing an evaluation process; and, communicating the goals and logistics of the ASP to the hospital's affected clinicians.
The authors surveyed 365 clinicians; the 56% who responded had a positive view of the ASP. The overwhelming majority agreed that the ASP had improved the use (83%) of antibiotics, decreased their inappropriate use (84%), and improved the quality of patient care (82%). An ASP goal was to provide education to those affected by the program; 90% said it did and 66% agreed it led to practice changes. Of negative feelings, only 6% felt the ASP interfered with clinical decision-making and 5% thought the ASP's recommendations were threatening.
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JPIDS ASPs/2
Impact of a Prospective-Audit-With-Feedback Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at a Children's Hospital; Newland et al.
Clinicians' Attitudes Toward an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at a Children's Hospital; Stach et al.
This issue of JPIDS also includes:
Epidemiologic Similarities in Pediatric Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus in the San Francisco Bay Area; Hsiang, et al.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Human Metapneumovirus Infection Among Hospitalized Children at High Risk for Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infection; Anderson, et al.
Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of Sewage Samples to Determine Oral Polio Vaccine Circulation Duration and Mutation After Mexican National Immunization Weeks; Troy, et al.
Clostridium difficile Infection in Children: Current State and Unanswered Questions; Tamma and Sandor.
Nevirapine-Resistant HIV-1 DNA in Breast Milk After Single-Dose Nevirapine With or Without Zidovudine for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission; Gantt, et al.
Neonatal Cryptococcosis: Beware of False Positive Results; Soni, et al.
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
The quarterly Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS) represents the spectrum of peer-reviewed, scientific and clinical information on perinatal, childhood, and adolescent infectious diseases.
THE PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES SOCIETY
The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) is the world's largest professional organization of experts in the care and prevention of infectious diseases in children. PIDS membership encompasses leaders across the global scientific and public health spectrum, including clinical care, advocacy, academics, government, and the pharmaceutical industry. From fellowship training to continuing medical education, research, regulatory issues and guideline development, PIDS members are the core professionals advocating for the improved health of children with infectious diseases both nationally and around the world, participating in critical public health and medical professional advisory committees that determine the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, immunization practices in children, and the education of pediatricians. For more information, visit www.pids.org.
First antibiotic stewardship probed in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
2012-08-09
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