title: Addressing antimicrobial resistance to treat children with atopic dermatitis in a tertiary pediatric allergy clinic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Secondary skin infection with Staphylococcus aureus is a significant problem in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated antimicrobial resistance patterns of S aureus isolates from skin lesions in AD patients and empiric antimicrobial prescribing patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Resistance patterns from positive skin cultures obtained from AD patients in the Allergy/Immunology clinic from May 1, 2006, to December 31, 2008, were compared with all outpatient wound cultures over the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine cultures were obtained from 38 AD patients. S aureus was the most common pathogen cultured from AD patients (53/59 cultures). S aureus resistance to clindamycin and methicillin differed significantly between the study group and the outpatient reference population (37.7% vs 9.4% and 45.3% vs 76.4%). Clindamycin was the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial (59%). Overall, 31.4% of organisms showed resistance to the antimicrobial prescribed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Susceptibility profiles of S aureus isolates from AD patients vary significantly from that of the general population.
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: Stephanie H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Stovall
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Scurlock
authors.forename: Tamara T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Stacie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Nada S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Harik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008712:Methicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002981:Clindamycin; D008712:Methicillin