[Critical analysis of antibiotic treatment of acute gastroenteritis in infants and young children].
BACKGROUND
Antibiotics are usually not recommended in the management of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in infants. Our study aimed at testing whether our practice was in adequacy with this recommendation.


METHODS
We reviewed the files of infants hospitalized for AGE from January 1999 to June 2000. They were sorted into three categories: 1) primary community-acquired AGE; 2) secondary community-acquired AGE; and 3) miscellaneous. Only the cases of primitive AGE were retained for this study in which we compared the characteristics of the patients treated to those who were not given antibiotic treatment.


RESULTS
On the 149 analysed cases, Rotavirus was identified in stools in 94 cases and stool culture was positive in 18 cases. Antibiotics were given to 10% of cases. Treated vs. untreated patients were significantly different for body temperature on admission, maximal body temperature and CRP.


CONCLUSIONS
Recommendation not to give antibiotic to infants with AGE was followed in 90% of the cases managed in our department. Antibiotic prescription was dictated by clinical or laboratory signs of severity.
Khayat
N
N
Service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales, CHU de Besançon, 2, place Saint-Jacques, 25030 Besançon cedex, France. norbert.khayan@ufc-chu.univ-fcomte.fr
Chirouze
C
C
Tran
T-A
TA
Leroy
J
J
Estavoyer
J-M
JM
Hoen
B
B
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012400:Rotavirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents