Routine Early Antibiotic Use in SymptOmatic Preterm Neonates (REASON): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Antibiotics are routinely used in symptomatic preterm infants after birth for presumed early onset sepsis without clear evidence to guide this practice. Observational studies support an association between routine early antibiotic use in preterm infants and increased risk for morbidities.(1-4) Despite concerns for these morbidities and data showing low rates of culture-confirmed early onset sepsis, most preterm infants are treated with antibiotics in the first days after birth as a standard of care.(5, 6, 7) This practice is based on the hypothesis that preterm deliveries may be precipitated by an infection and that it may be difficult to distinguish between symptoms such as respiratory distress related to prematurity and early onset sepsis.

Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - September 21, 2020 Category: Pediatrics Authors: J. Lauren Ruoss, Catalina Bazacliu, Jordan T. Russell, Diomel de la Cruz, Nan Li, Matthew J. Gurka, Stephanie L. Filipp, Richard A. Polin, Eric W. Triplett, Josef Neu Tags: Brief Reports Source Type: research