title: Use of antimicrobial drugs in general hospitals: IV. Infants and children.
abstract: The use of antimicrobial drugs was studied among 933 randomly selected infants and children who were hospitalized in 20 short-stay general hospitals in Pennsylvania. Twenty-two percent of pediatric patients received antimicrobial drugs: 5% of neonates and 57% of patients aged 12 to 18 months. Sixty-eight percent of the 265 antimicrobial courses administered to these children consisted of a penicillin or a penicillin analogue. Ampicillin was the single drug most frequently administered and was given in 32% of all courses. In contrast to the findings in older children, penicillin or penicillin analogues and aminoglycosides were the only antimicrobial drug groups administered to neonataes. Seventy-nine percent of courses were initiated for proved or suspected infections and 17% were initiated to prevent infections associated with surgical or nonsurgical invasive procedures. Cultures were associated with the initiation of 84% of courses among neonates and 39% of courses among children 6 to 9 years of age. This study provides the initial information, from data derived from randomly selected general hospitals, to permit a statement of norms of practice with respect to use of antimicrobial drugs in pediatric populations.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012494:Sampling Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D005839:Gentamicins; D010406:Penicillins; D000667:Ampicillin