Towards zero prevalence of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in children with cystic fibrosis.
BACKGROUND
Data from the Belgian Cystic Fibrosis Registry consistently show that in one of the seven reference centres, the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is half that observed at the national level.


OBJECTIVE
To report the characteristics of non-transplanted patients in this clinic at the end of 2003, with special focus on paediatric patients. To describe and discuss our policy of inhaled antibiotic therapy.


RESULTS
The prevalence of P. aeruginosa among 116 patients is 20.7%. The chronic colonization rate is 19.8% but only 2.8% in patients aged under 18 (n=72). Serologic data strongly support these results. Most paediatric patients (95%) are prescribed inhaled antibiotics, at least on an intermittent basis but the mean number of days of intravenous antibiotic treatment is four times lower than in other CF children in Belgium. 70% of children have an FEV1> or =90% predicted.


CONCLUSIONS
We have reported a distinctly low rate of chronic colonization by P. aeruginosa in a cohort of CF children and suspect that a strategy of early, often <<prophylactic>> use of inhaled antibiotics, progressively implemented for over 15 years has substantially contributed to these results. Given the major impact of chronic P. aeruginosa colonization on prognosis in CF, it is suggested that a large prospective study of this approach is warranted.
Lebecque
Patrick
P
Department of Pediatrics and Clinical Chemistry, St Luc University Hospital, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. lebecque@pedi.ucl.ac.be
Leal
Teresinha
T
Zylberberg
Katia
K
Reychler
Grégory
G
Bossuyt
Xavier
X
Godding
Véronique
V
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000583:Amikacin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014031:Tobramycin / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000583:Amikacin; D014031:Tobramycin