title: The antibiotic resistance and prescribing in European Children project: a neonatal and pediatric antimicrobial web-based point prevalence survey in 73 hospitals worldwide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The neonatal and pediatric antimicrobial point prevalence survey (PPS) of the Antibiotic Resistance and Prescribing in European Children project (http://www.arpecproject.eu/) aims to standardize a method for surveillance of antimicrobial use in children and neonates admitted to the hospital within Europe. This article describes the audit criteria used and reports overall country-specific proportions of antimicrobial use. An analytical review presents methodologies on antimicrobial use.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-day PPS on antimicrobial use in hospitalized children was organized in September 2011, using a previously validated and standardized method. The survey included all inpatient pediatric and neonatal beds and identified all children receiving an antimicrobial treatment on the day of survey. Mandatory data were age, gender, (birth) weight, underlying diagnosis, antimicrobial agent, dose and indication for treatment. Data were entered through a web-based system for data-entry and reporting, based on the WebPPS program developed for the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2760 and 1565 pediatric versus 1154 and 589 neonatal inpatients reported among 50 European (n = 14 countries) and 23 non-European hospitals (n = 9 countries), respectively. Overall, antibiotic pediatric and neonatal use was significantly higher in non-European (43.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 41.3-46.3% and 39.4%; 95% CI: 35.5-43.4%) compared with that in European hospitals (35.4; 95% CI: 33.6-37.2% and 21.8%; 95% CI: 19.4-24.2%). Proportions of antibiotic use were highest in hematology/oncology wards (61.3%; 95% CI: 56.2-66.4%) and pediatric intensive care units (55.8%; 95% CI: 50.3-61.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An Antibiotic Resistance and Prescribing in European Children standardized web-based method for a 1-day PPS was successfully developed and conducted in 73 hospitals worldwide. It offers a simple, feasible and sustainable way of data collection that can be used globally.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. ann.versporten@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Versporten
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharland
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bielicki
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drapier
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vankerckhoven
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goossens
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005060:Europe; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents