• About
  • Masthead
  • License Content
  • Advertise
  • Submit Press Release
  • RSS/Email List
  • Write for us
  • Contact us
2 Minute Medicine
No Result
View All Result

No products in the cart.

SUBSCRIBE
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
2 Minute Medicine
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
SUBSCRIBE
2 Minute Medicine
Subscribe
Home ENT

Study suggests twice as many antimicrobials prescribed than needed

byNeha JoshiandCordelia Ross
September 15, 2014
in ENT, Infectious Disease, Pediatrics
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

1. A meta-analysis suggests bacterial prevalence in 27.4% of all pediatric acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs), with a subsequent retrospective cohort analysis indicating that 56.9% of all ARTIs were treated with antimicrobial prescriptions.

2. Antimicrobial prescription patterns accounted for more than twice the expected rate of antimicrobial need when compared to actual bacterial prevalence data.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) 

Study Rundown: More than 70% of antibiotic prescriptions given at a pediatric clinic visit are for ARTIs, which account for an approximate 31.7 million clinic visits annually in the United States. Given that the majority of these infections are viral, rather than bacterial, in nature, ARTIs represent an important area of antimicrobial stewardship. This two-fold study aimed to define bacterial prevalence rates amongst ARTIs and to determine rates of antimicrobial prescriptions given in such instances. After looking at common childhood ARTIs, results indicated that antibiotics were being prescribed at twice the rate of bacterial infection. Though the study is limited by the breadth of evidence establishing bacterial prevalence in certain types of ARTIs (e.g. bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infections), these findings still highlight the need for further interventions to curb preventable antimicrobial use for non-bacterial infections.

Click to read the study, published today in Pediatrics

Relevant Reading: Antibiotic Prescription Rates for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in US Ambulatory Settings

Study Author, Dr. Matthew P. Kronman, MD, MSCE, talks to 2 Minute Medicine: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

RELATED REPORTS

The 2 Minute Medicine Podcast Episode 4

The 2 Minute Medicine Podcast Episode 3

Nonoperative management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis comparable to appendectomy but leads to increased length of stay and disease recurrence

“Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for common childhood acute respiratory tract infections (ARTI, including otitis media, sinusitis, pharyngitis, URI, and bronchitis) is a well-described problem. Our current study helps identify a target rate for prescribing antibiotics for ARTI overall, and demonstrates that current national outpatient antibiotic prescribing for these ARTI is approximately twice what it needs to be, representing up to 11 million potentially preventable antibiotic prescriptions each year. In the setting of the known risks associated with antibiotic prescribing – including allergic reactions, diarrhea due to C. difficile, selection for resistant and difficult to treat bacteria, and even long-term consequences such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease – providers can use these findings regarding the bacterial prevalence among ARTI as a point in their clinical decision-making and in discussing antibiotic-sparing approaches such as watch-and-wait strategies with families.”

In-Depth [meta analysis, retrospective cohort study]: This two-fold study analyzed bacterial prevalence and antimicrobial prescription trends for ARTIs in the pediatric ambulatory setting. The first component attempted a meta-analysis culling bacterial prevalence data for 5 common ARTIs (acute otitis media, sinusitis, bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infection, pharyngitis). A bacterial prevalence of 64.7% was found in acute otitis media, 78.0% in sinusitis, and 20.2% of only Streptococus pyogenes in pharyngitis; no studies for bronchitis or upper respiratory tract infections were ultimately included the analysis. The meta-analysis suggested an expected antimicrobial prescribing rate of 27.4% for pediatric ARTIs (95% CI: 26.5-28.3%). The second study component utilized data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for antimicrobial prescriptions for ARTIs in children; a 56.9% prescription rate was found for pediatric ARTIs (95% CI, 50.8%–63.1%). Overall, results suggest that antimicrobials were being prescribed at more than twice the rate of expected bacterial infections.

More from this author: MMR vaccination intentions higher with direct benefit education, Severity of complications in pediatric influenza-like illness identified, High prevalence of pediatric dosing errors suggests unit standardization, Sexting linked to sexual activity in middle school students, Possible benefit in omega-3 supplementation for extremely preterm infants

Image: PD

©2012-2014 2minutemedicine.com. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without expressed written consent from 2minutemedicine.com. Disclaimer: We present factual information directly from peer reviewed medical journals. No post should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors, editors, staff or by 2minutemedicine.com. PLEASE SEE A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN YOUR AREA IF YOU SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE OF ANY SORT.  

Tags: antibioticantibiotic resistanceAntimicrobial
Previous Post

Intravenous contrast may not increase risk of acute kidney injury

Next Post

2 Minute Medicine Rewind September 8 – September 14, 2014

RelatedReports

2MM Podcast

The 2 Minute Medicine Podcast Episode 4

December 15, 2022
2MM Podcast

The 2 Minute Medicine Podcast Episode 3

December 1, 2022
CT findings independently predict costs associated with acute appendicitis
Gastroenterology

Nonoperative management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis comparable to appendectomy but leads to increased length of stay and disease recurrence

August 1, 2022
Growth Faltering is Associated With Altered Brain Functional Connectivity and Cognitive Outcomes In Urban Bangladeshi Children Exposed to Early Adversity
Pediatrics

Addition of azithromycin to standard treatment does not improve survival in childhood diarrhea

February 18, 2022
Next Post
Combo angiotensin-neprilysin inhibitor superior to enalapril in heart failure [PARADIGM-HF trial]

2 Minute Medicine Rewind September 8 – September 14, 2014

Discharge diagnoses in the E.R. cannot retrospectively identify non-emergent visits

Buprenorphine most responsible for pediatric hospitalizations due to unsupervised ingestion

Undervaccination becoming more common, associated with increased patient admission rates

Majority of vaccine-induced seizures linked to underlying epilepsy syndromes

License Our Award-Winning Physician-Written Medical News and Visual Abstracts

2 Minute Medicine is the leading authoritative medical news licensing service, and the only with reports written by practicing doctors.

LICENSE CONTENT

2MM+ Premium Access

No ads & unlimited access to all current reports, over 9000 searchable archived reports, visual abstracts, Weekly Rewinds, and the online edition of The Classics Series™ textbook.

Subscription Options
2 Minute Medicine

2 Minute Medicine® is an award winning, physician-run, expert medical media company. Our content is curated, written and edited by practicing health professionals who have clinical and scientific expertise in their field of reporting. Our editorial management team is comprised of highly-trained MD physicians. Join numerous brands, companies, and hospitals who trust our licensed content.

Recent Reports

  • Deep intronic FGF14 repeat expansion associated with late-onset cerebella ataxia
  • Plant-based diets may be associated with lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer
  • #VisualAbstract: Adagrasib provides antitumour activity against KRAS G12C mutant metastatic colorectal cancer both as monotherapy and in combination with cetuximab
License Content
Terms of Use | Disclaimer
Cookie Policy
Privacy Statement (EU)
Disclaimer

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • Account
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

Want more physician-written
medical news?

Join over 10 million yearly readers and numerous companies. For healthcare professionals
and the public.

Subscribe for free today!

Subscription options