Optimizing antibiotic use for early onset sepsis: A tertiary nicu experience

Neonatal antibiotic use is associated with a greater risk of nosocomial infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, and mortality. It can induce drug-resistant pathogens that contribute to increased neonatal morbidity/mortality, healthcare costs, and length of stay. Prior to the antibiotic stewardship program, decisions to obtain blood cultures and empiric antibiotics for possible Early-onset Sepsis (EOS) in late preterm and term infants upon NICU admission were provider-dependent rather than algorithm-based. We aimed to decrease empiric antibiotic prescription from 70% to 56% (20% decrease) in infants ≥34 weeks gestation admitted to the NICU. A significant reduction in antibiotic use and sepsis evaluations was achieved for late preterm and term infants upon NICU admission. No clinical deterioration occurred in post-intervention infants who did not receive antibiotics. There is significa nt overlap between CDC guidelines and SRC recommendations.
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news