title: Antibiotics in respiratory tract infections in hospital pediatric emergency departments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory tract infections are one of the most frequent problems in pediatric clinics and generate an elevated prescription of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to find out the standard of care practice about antibiotic use in these infections in a pediatric emergency department and to evaluate compliance with clinical guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pediatric emergency department database was reviewed from July 2005 to October 2007 under the category "respiratory infection", including variables such as age, antibiotic prescription and compliance with current clinical recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 23,114 reviewed reports, 32.7% (7,567) were upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) (cold, acute otitis media [AOM], sinusitis and tonsillopharyngitis) or lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) (laryngitis, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia). Children under the age of 2 were the most represented age group. Amongst URTI, rhinopharyngitis was the most frequent infection, while bronchitis was the most frequent among LRTI. Antibiotic therapy (mainly amoxicillin) was prescribed in 30.8% of URTI (5.7% rhinopharyngitis, 96.5% AOM, and 36.7% tonsillopharyngitis) and in 12.4% of LRTI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percentage of respiratory tract infections was similar to previous studies and the antibiotic prescriptions followed current guidelines, except for cases diagnosed with AOM. Prescription compliance and clinical course of the cases should be monitored.
authors.affiliation: Pediatría, CAP Ciutat Vella, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, España; Departamentos de Pediatría, Obstetricia y Ginecología, y Medicina Preventiva, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guzmán Molina
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Marta Velasco
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Belvís
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (URIE), Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, España; Red SAMID, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coroleu Bonet
authors.affiliation: Departamentos de Pediatría, Obstetricia y Ginecología, y Medicina Preventiva, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, España; Unitat de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (URIE), Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, España; Red SAMID, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vall Combelles
authors.affiliation: Departamentos de Pediatría, Obstetricia y Ginecología, y Medicina Preventiva, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; Servicio de Pediatría, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, España; Unitat de Recerca Infancia i Entorn (URIE), Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, España; Red SAMID, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España. Electronic address: 90458@parcdesalutmar.cat.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: García-Algar
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibiotics; Antibióticos; Emergency room; Infecciones respiratorias de vías altas; Infecciones respiratorias de vías bajas; Lower respiratory tract infections; Pediatrics; Pediatría; Prescripción; Prescription; Servicios médicos de urgencias; Upper respiratory tract infections