10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study

Objectives To analyse, compare and present the 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends for paediatric inpatients at a non-teaching hospital (NTH) and a teaching hospital (TH) in India.Design and setting A prospective, observational study of antibiotic prescriptions in paediatric dep...

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Main Authors: Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg, Megha Sharma, Sarah Van De Weyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e087901.full
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author Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg
Megha Sharma
Sarah Van De Weyer
author_facet Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg
Megha Sharma
Sarah Van De Weyer
author_sort Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg
collection DOAJ
description Objectives To analyse, compare and present the 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends for paediatric inpatients at a non-teaching hospital (NTH) and a teaching hospital (TH) in India.Design and setting A prospective, observational study of antibiotic prescriptions in paediatric departments of two private-sector hospitals in central India. Inpatients were grouped into clinically confirmed infections, suspected infections and no infections.Outcomes Patients in the NTH and TH and duration of antibiotic prescription, the ratio of prescribed daily dose and defined daily dose i.e. PDD* per 100 bed days, diagnosis-specific patterns and trends, adherence to the Access, Watch and Reserve (AWaRe) classification and prescribing guidelines with significant p value<0.05.Results Of 19 027, 17 458 inpatients aged less than 18 years stayed at least one night (NTH: 11 415 and TH: 6043). More patients were prescribed antibiotics in the NTH than in the TH (NTH: 80%, TH: 23%, p<0.001) and had shorter antibiotic treatment (NTH: 3 days, TH: 5 days, p<0.001). In the NTH, 43% of prescribed antibiotics were ‘Not recommended’; in the TH, 56% were from the ‘Watch’ group (AWaRe). Ceftriaxone with a beta-lactamase inhibitor (‘Not recommended’, 39%) was most prescribed in the NTH, and ceftriaxone (‘Watch’, 31%) in the TH.The reduction in the prescription rates of the most prescribed antibiotic classes for PDD*/100 bed days was observed over 10 years, for infectious acute gastroenteritis, typhoid fever and lung infections, especially in the NTH. For hernia patients, the antibiotic prescribing trend of third-generation cephalosporins increased significantly (β=0.13, p=0.02) while decreased for second-generation cephalosporins (β=0.002, p=0.01). The trends decreased in both hospitals for the most common confirmed infections over 10 years.Conclusion This decadal study observes the practices of overuse of antibiotics in both hospitals yet more in the NTH. High prescribing rates of the ‘Not recommended’ and ‘Watch’ warrant understanding the underlying reasons for targeted interventions. Nonetheless, a significant overtime decrease in prescribing antibiotics for infectious diagnosis indicates the potential for the success of antibiotic stewardship in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-50b8a64d81a64107b448432a2b024f8d2025-08-20T02:10:42ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-03-0115310.1136/bmjopen-2024-08790110-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational studyCecilia Stålsby Lundborg0Megha Sharma1Sarah Van De Weyer21 Health Systems and Policy (HSP): Medicines, focusing antibiotics, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden1 Health Systems and Policy (HSP): Medicines, focusing antibiotics, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden3 Department of Global Public Health, Health Systems and Policy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenObjectives To analyse, compare and present the 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends for paediatric inpatients at a non-teaching hospital (NTH) and a teaching hospital (TH) in India.Design and setting A prospective, observational study of antibiotic prescriptions in paediatric departments of two private-sector hospitals in central India. Inpatients were grouped into clinically confirmed infections, suspected infections and no infections.Outcomes Patients in the NTH and TH and duration of antibiotic prescription, the ratio of prescribed daily dose and defined daily dose i.e. PDD* per 100 bed days, diagnosis-specific patterns and trends, adherence to the Access, Watch and Reserve (AWaRe) classification and prescribing guidelines with significant p value<0.05.Results Of 19 027, 17 458 inpatients aged less than 18 years stayed at least one night (NTH: 11 415 and TH: 6043). More patients were prescribed antibiotics in the NTH than in the TH (NTH: 80%, TH: 23%, p<0.001) and had shorter antibiotic treatment (NTH: 3 days, TH: 5 days, p<0.001). In the NTH, 43% of prescribed antibiotics were ‘Not recommended’; in the TH, 56% were from the ‘Watch’ group (AWaRe). Ceftriaxone with a beta-lactamase inhibitor (‘Not recommended’, 39%) was most prescribed in the NTH, and ceftriaxone (‘Watch’, 31%) in the TH.The reduction in the prescription rates of the most prescribed antibiotic classes for PDD*/100 bed days was observed over 10 years, for infectious acute gastroenteritis, typhoid fever and lung infections, especially in the NTH. For hernia patients, the antibiotic prescribing trend of third-generation cephalosporins increased significantly (β=0.13, p=0.02) while decreased for second-generation cephalosporins (β=0.002, p=0.01). The trends decreased in both hospitals for the most common confirmed infections over 10 years.Conclusion This decadal study observes the practices of overuse of antibiotics in both hospitals yet more in the NTH. High prescribing rates of the ‘Not recommended’ and ‘Watch’ warrant understanding the underlying reasons for targeted interventions. Nonetheless, a significant overtime decrease in prescribing antibiotics for infectious diagnosis indicates the potential for the success of antibiotic stewardship in the future.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e087901.full
spellingShingle Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg
Megha Sharma
Sarah Van De Weyer
10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study
BMJ Open
title 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study
title_full 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study
title_fullStr 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study
title_full_unstemmed 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study
title_short 10-year diagnosis-specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private-sector hospitals in central India: a prospective observational study
title_sort 10 year diagnosis specific antibiotic prescribing trends among paediatric inpatients at two private sector hospitals in central india a prospective observational study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e087901.full
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