title: Changing thresholds and incidence of antibiotic treatment of cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations, 1995-2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased chronic therapy use and improved cystic fibrosis (CF) patient health should be accompanied by reduced pulmonary exacerbation-associated antibiotic treatment incidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment incidence rates and associated sign/symptom scores from 1995-2005 were studied in Epidemiologic Study of CF patients by route ( IV) and age (<6, 6-12, 13-17, ≥ 18 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall treatment incidence rate fell 0.0165 events/patient-year/year (P=.006); IV incidence fell 0.0179 (P<.001). Non-IV incidence increased in children ≤ 12 years (P ≤.002) while significantly decreasing in older patients. Mean IV (P=.046) and non-IV (P=.004) treatment-associated clinical scores decreased in children <6 years. Non-IV (but not IV) clinical scores decreased in older patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IV incidence fell for all ages from 1995-2005; non-IV incidence increased in patients ≤ 12 years and fell in others. Average clinical treatment thresholds fell in children <6 years; IV thresholds were unchanged in older patients; non-IV thresholds fell for patients ≥ 13 years. Decreases in treatment incidence were likely partially offset by lower treatment thresholds.
authors.affiliation: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. enigmaster@comcast.net
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: VanDevanter
authors.forename: Eric P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Elkin
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pasta
authors.forename: Wayne J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Konstan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018450:Disease Progression; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents