Antibiotics in the NICU: Could Less Be More?

In the absence of confirmed infection, higher rates of antibiotic use were associated with worse outcomes in very-low-birth-weight babies.

Infections are common in preterm babies and can be very difficult to differentiate from other conditions. This problem often leads to liberal use of antibiotics in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting, even in the absence of confirmed infection.

To determine the extent of antibiotic use in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants and the association between antibiotic use and outcomes in infants without culture-proven sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), the Canadian Neonatal Network, which captures more than 95% of all Canadian NICU admissions, performed a retrospective analysis of data submitted by tertiary-care NICUs between 2010 and 2014. In their cohort of 13,738 VLBW infants (birthweight <1500 g), 11,669 (84.9%) were expos…

Reviewing Author

Robin Steinhorn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardActelion Pharmaceuticals

Editorial BoardsJournal of Pediatrics

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Pediatric Society (President); American Board of Pediatrics (Board of Directors)

Robin Steinhorn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardActelion Pharmaceuticals

Editorial BoardsJournal of Pediatrics

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Pediatric Society (President); American Board of Pediatrics (Board of Directors)

Antibiotics in the NICU: Could Less Be More?

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Reviewing Author