Short duration of initial intravenous treatment in 70 pediatric patients with osteoarticular infections

• Published in: Revista chilena de infectología Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 30 - 36
• Main Authors: Prado S, M Alejandra, Lizama C, Macarena, Peña D, Anamaría, Valenzuela M, César, Viviani S, Tamara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Chile 01.02.2008
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Arthritis, Infectious - drug therapy; Ceftriaxone - administration & dosage; Child; Child, Preschool; Chloramphenicol - administration & dosage; Cloxacillin - administration & dosage; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gram-Negative Bacteria - drug effects; Gram-Positive Bacteria - drug effects; Humans; Infant; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Osteoarthritis - drug therapy; Osteomyelitis - drug therapy; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0716-1018; 0717-6341

Osteoarticular infections (OAI) are infrequent in pediatrics and there is controversy on the need for prolonged use of intravenous antimicrobials. To characterize and describe evolution and complications of a regimen of 7 days initial intravenous antibiotic treatment for OAI in children, completing 4-6 weeks of total treatment. In a large pediatric hospital, 70 children younger than 15 years of age were diagnosed with OAI between March 2003 and December 2004. Children received 7 days of intravenous antibiotics followed by 3 to 5 weeks of oral treatment. Incidence of OAI in this hospital was 1.8:10000. Patients mean age was 6.4 +/-4.4 years and 60% presented with septic arthritis, 36% osteomyelitis and 4% osteoarthritis. In 80% of cases, the infection was located in the lower extremity. Positive cultures were obtained in 59% predominating Staphylococcus aureus (46.5%). Seven patients had prolonged pain or persistently high or increasing serum C reactive protein levels and were maintained on prolonged intravenous therapy. None of the 63 children with 7 day intravenous antimicrobials nor the 7 children with prolonged intravenous use developed a complication in the short-term follow up. Seven days of intravenous antibiotic for the initial phase of OAI treatment was effective in a majority of children and may be recommended.