title: Antibiotic use profile at paediatric clinics in two transitional countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we evaluated antibiotic utilisation pattern at two paediatric clinics in different European (transitional) countries: Croatia (Rijeka) and Russia (Smolensk).
  
  
  METHODS
  Antibiotic utilisation during the year 2000 was observed using the ATC/defined daily doses (DDD) methodology (ATC code-J01). Drug-usage data was expressed in numbers of DDD/100 bed-days and the DU90% profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Rijeka, 35 different systemic antibiotics were used and in Smolensk 22. The overall consumption of antibiotic drugs in Rijeka was more than three times higher than in Smolensk (28.96 vs 8.3 DDD/100 bed-days). The top five antibiotic drugs used in Smolensk were amoxicillin, mydecamicin, ampicilin, doxycylin, gentamicin; and in Rijeka cefuroxime axetil, ceftriaxone, azytromycin, ceftibuten and amoxicillin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in antibiotic prescribing patterns are greater than expected. The pattern of antibiotic utilisation in both countries implies that regional control measures and guidelines for antibiotic use in children should be urgently established.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Centre Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia. goran.palcevski@ri.tel.hr
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palcevski
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ahel
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vlahović-Palcevski
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ratchina
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rosovic-Bazijanac
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Averchenkova
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077722:Ceftibuten; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017523:Croatia; D003625:Data Collection; D003906:Developing Countries; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017723:Drug Utilization Review / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006753:Hospital Records; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007933:Leucomycins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012426:Russia
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002511:Cephalosporins; D005839:Gentamicins; D007933:Leucomycins; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000667:Ampicillin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017963:Azithromycin; D000077722:Ceftibuten; D004318:Doxycycline; C026483:midecamycin; D002444:Cefuroxime