Antibiotic Surveillance in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a Secondary Referral Healthcare Setting in South India

Abstract

Background: Due to their maturing immune system and close proximity to one another, children are more liable to acquire and transmit infections than adults. Despite frequent antibiotic use in children, the primary focus of antibiotic drug utilization research to date has been the adult population. 
 Objective: This study aims to evaluate the antibiotic utilization in a 5 bedded pediatric intensive care unit of a secondary referral hospital in south India. 
 Material and methods: The cross-sectional observational study approved by the institutional ethics committee and institutional review board of six months duration was performed on patients of both genders admitted to the PICU of age 1 month to 18 years, with at least one antibiotic administration. 
 Results: In a total of 84 PICU admissions, 96.43% were treated empirically. A total of 583 medications were prescribed, out of which 28.3% were antibiotics. In our study, amoxiclav, ceftriaxone and linezolid were observed to have a normal PDD: DDD ratio within limits. 95.24% was the survivor rate during the study.
 Conclusion: The outcome of PICU antibiotic surveillance was found rational in relation to a 95.24% survival rate, but WHO DUS metrics calculation of PDD: DDD ratio forecast there is more under-utilization, as dose calculation in paediatrics is weight-based. In this regard, extensive research in exploring the new modalities like point prevalence survey, proportions of days covered, days of therapy; and antibiotic acquaintance by limiting wasted drug weight in pediatric patients is highly recommended to ensure optimized and rational antibiotic use.