[Antibiotic prescribing in a paediatric emergency department].
BACKGROUND
Adequate antibiotic prescribing in Paediatric Emergency Departments (PEDs) is a necessity due to the high number of patients consulting for infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiotic prescription quality in a PED.


METHODS
Retrospective study of patients attending a PED and diagnosed with acute otitis media, pharyngotonsillitis or community-acquired pneumonia during 2008. A random sample of 100 cases for each disease was selected. The parameters employed for assessing the prescribing quality were: illness subject to being treated with antibiotics, adequate antibiotic, dosage, interval of administration and length of treatment. An error in any of these parameters was considered an inappropriate prescription. The appropriateness of the antibiotic prescriptions was assessed based on the recommendations described on our hospital protocols.


RESULTS
Antibiotics were prescribed to 219 patients (73%). Therapy was considered to be inappropriate in 67 children (22.3%). Unnecessary treatment was indicated in 15 cases (6.8%) and in 4 patients (2%) the antibiotic selected was incorrect. Antibiotic was not prescribed to one patient subject to being treated (1.2%). The treatment length was wrong in 22 cases (11.5%), inappropriately short in all of them, the interval of administration in 20 (10.1%) and dosage in 13 (6.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
The use of antibiotics was appropriate for the diseases analysed, particularly as regards to the indication and antibiotic selection. The length of the treatment was the aspect found to be most deficient. Some important measures should be undertaken in order to improve antibiotic prescription quality.
Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
C
C
Durán Fernández-Feijóo
S
S
Marqués Ercilla
S
S
Hernández-Bou
V
V
Trenchs Sainz de la Maza
J J
JJ
García García
C
C
Luaces Cubells
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents