title: Use of antibiotics in children: a Danish nationwide drug utilization study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to describe the use of systemic antibiotics among children in Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  National data on drug use in Denmark were extracted from the Danish National Prescription Database. We used prescription data for all children in Denmark aged 0 to 11 years from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained data on 5,884,301 prescriptions for systemic antibiotics issued to 1,206,107 children. The most used single substances were phenoxymethylpenicillin (45%), amoxicillin (34%) and erythromycin (6%). The highest incidence rate of antibiotic treatment episodes was observed among children younger than 2 at 827 per 1000 children in 2012. Incidence rates were relatively stable throughout the study period. One-year prevalences in 2012 were 485, 363 and 190 per 1000 children among children aged 0-1, 2-4 and 5-11, respectively. A gradual shift from narrow-spectrum penicillin V to the broader-spectrum amoxicillin was found among children younger than 5. The use of macrolides decreased slightly, especially among those aged 0-1. Minor regional differences were noted, with somewhat higher use in the Capital Region. Skewness in use was most notable among those aged 0-1. There was little evidence of heavy users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prescribing rate of antibiotics to children in Denmark remained stable at a high level from 2000 to 2012. An increase in the use of broad-spectrum beta-lactam penicillin was noted, but otherwise the prescribing pattern adhered well to National guidelines with respect to choice of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: From the *Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark; †Department of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital; and ‡Section of General Practice and Research Unit for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pottegård
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Broe
authors.forename: Rune
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aabenhus
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bjerrum
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hallas
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Damkier
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003718:Denmark; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents