Intravenous vs. Oral Antibiotics for Ambulatory Treatment of Pediatric Osteomyelitis

For postdischarge management of acute osteomyelitis, oral antibiotics were as effective as intravenous ones and were associated with fewer treatment-associated complications.

In the U.S., most children with acute osteomyelitis are treated for a short time in the hospital with intravenous (IV) antibiotics, followed by 4 to 6 weeks of home antibiotic therapy administered orally or intravenously via a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). PICCs carry risk for complications such as secondary infection. In a recent retrospective cohort study conducted at 36 U.S. children's hospitals, researchers compared the effectiveness and adverse outcomes of postdischarge antibiotic therapy administered by these routes.

Data were analyzed for 2060 children aged 2 months to <18 years who were discharged between January 2009 and December 2012 after hospitalization for acute osteomyelitis. Outcomes were determined using info…

Reviewing Author

Robert S. Baltimore, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsInfectious Diseases in Children

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesMember Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease

Robert S. Baltimore, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsInfectious Diseases in Children

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesMember Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis and Kawasaki Disease

Intravenous vs. Oral Antibiotics for Ambulatory Treatment of Pediatric Osteomyelitis

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Reviewing Author