A prospective study of the use of antibiotics in the Emergency Department of a Chinese University Hospital

Zeng, Linan, Hu, Die, Choonara, Imti, Mu, Dezhi, Zhang, Lingli, Li, Xihong, Zhang, Zuojie, Hu, Zhiqiang and Quan, Shuyan (2017) A prospective study of the use of antibiotics in the Emergency Department of a Chinese University Hospital. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 25 (1). pp. 89-92. ISSN 2042-7174

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Abstract

Background: Antibiotics are one of the most widely misused group of medicines. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of antibiotics in one of the paediatric emergency departments in China.

Methods: We performed a prospective, cross-sectional study of antibiotic use in the paediatric emergency room of West China Second University Hospital. A total of 500 consecutive patients from March 25 to April 3 2013 were included. Clinical details of the patients were also collected in order to analyse antibiotic use.

Key findings: The median age of patients was 2 years 2 months. The five most common conditions seen in the emergency department were wheezy bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infections, tonsillitis, pneumonia and diarrhoea. A total of 311 children (62%) received antibiotics. The antibiotics prescribed were predominantly cephalosporins and penicillins. More than one antibiotic was used in 51 patients. In total, 75% of the antibiotics prescribed were cephalosporins. More than three-quarters of the young children with wheezy bronchitis received antibiotics. Antibiotic use for children with an upper respiratory tract infections or tonsillitis was greater than the 20% maximum recommended by the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption.

Conclusions: The majority of children attending the emergency department received antibiotics. For many of the conditions, the use of antibiotics was inappropriate.

Item Type: Article
RIS ID: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/970780
Additional Information: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12335. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Schools/Departments: University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Medicine > Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12335
Depositing User: Bowler, Henry
Date Deposited: 07 Feb 2017 11:28
Last Modified: 04 May 2020 19:58
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/40352

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