Antibiotic usage, dosage and course length in children between 0 and 4 years

  1. Josta De Jong1,
  2. Paul B Van Den Berg1,
  3. Sipke T Visser1,
  4. Tjalling W De Vries2,
  5. Lolkje TW De Jong-van den Berg1

Article first published online: 21 APR 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01309.x

Issue

Acta Paediatrica

Acta Paediatrica

Volume 98, Issue 7, pages 1142–1148, July 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

De Jong, J., Van Den Berg, P. B., Visser, S. T., De Vries, T. W. and De Jong-van den Berg, L. T. (2009), Antibiotic usage, dosage and course length in children between 0 and 4 years. Acta Paediatrica, 98: 1142–1148. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01309.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Pharmacoepidemology and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

  2. 2

    Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

*Josta de Jong, PharmD, Department of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Groningen, Anton Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands. Tel: +31-50-3637576 | Fax: +31-50-3632772 | Email: josta.de.jong@rug.nl

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 JUN 2009
  2. Article first published online: 21 APR 2009
  3. Received 1 January 2009; revised 27 February 2009; accepted 16 March 2009.

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Keywords:

  • Antibiotics;
  • Child;
  • Drug dosage calculations;
  • Pharmacoepidemiology;
  • Practice guideline

Abstract

Aim:  Antibiotic drugs are most frequently used by 0- to 4-year-old children. We performed a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands using a pharmacy prescription database to investigate the use, dose and course length of antibiotic drugs in 0- to 4-year-olds.

Methods:  We used a database with pharmacy drug-dispensing data. We investigated all prescriptions of systemic antibiotics prescribed in the years 2002–2006 for children of 0–4 years of age. Prescriptions for children under the age of 3 months were excluded.

Results:  Children of 9–12 months of age received more antibiotics than children in other age groups. In the 3- to 6-month-olds, amoxicillin was prescribed in 75.2% of the cases. This percentage was 50.4% in the 4-year-olds. The contribution of other broad-spectrum antibiotics increased with age (clarithromycin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid). Small-spectrum penicillins were prescribed less often than the broad-spectrum antibiotics. From the prescriptions of the five most used drugs, 97.6% were within the recommended dose range. Most course lengths corresponded with the guidelines. Of the prescriptions, 3.9% were unlicensed or off-label.

Conclusion:  Within the group of 0- to 4-year-old children, most antibiotics were used by 9- to 12-month-olds. The doses and course lengths were mostly correct, but the choice of antibiotics was not according to the guidelines. Young children received unlicensed and off-label prescribed antibiotics.

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