Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Science / Health/  Irrational use of third generation advanced antibiotics must be discouraged: study
BackBack

Irrational use of third generation advanced antibiotics must be discouraged: study

A study shows that three in every five, or about 62%, children hospitalized in India are on at least one third-generation advanced antibiotic

At least six hospitals across India participated in the study conducted between February 2016 and February 2017 which included 681 children aged between 1 and 14 years. Photo: PTIPremium
At least six hospitals across India participated in the study conducted between February 2016 and February 2017 which included 681 children aged between 1 and 14 years. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The irrational use of third generation advanced antibiotics is causing resistance to these medicines and must be discouraged, a recent study said.

While national guidelines recommend the use of the first line antibiotic treatment such as penicillin and other combinations instead of directly jumping onto the third generation antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance, the study found that three in every five, or about 62%, children hospitalized in India are on at least one third-generation advanced antibiotic.

The study—Surveillance of Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Children —published in the September 2017 issue of Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute’s (MDPI) journal, was conducted as part of a project, Global Antimicrobial Resistance, Prescribing, and Efficacy in Neonates and Children (GARPEC), by the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP), St. Georges University, London, and Princeton University, US, along with other medical institutions in India.

At least six hospitals across India participated in the study conducted between February 2016 and February 2017 which included 681 children aged between 1 and 14 years.

“Out of 681, around 61.5% patients were prescribed one or more antimicrobials (antibacterials, antivirals, antifungals). Antibacterial agents accounted for 90.8% of the total antimicrobial prescriptions, of which third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) accounted for 38.9% and first line penicillin along with other medicines accounted for only 14.4%. Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) was the most common indication for prescribing antimicrobials (24.8%)," the study said.

The current guidelines recommend the use of third-generation cephalosporins only when there is deterioration in the effectiveness of first-line agents. “Although national guidelines recommend the use of penicillin and combinations as first-line agents for LRTI, 3GCs were the most commonly prescribed antibacterial agents (36.9%). Around 61.5% of hospitalized children were on at least one antimicrobial agent, with excessive use of 3GCs," said the study.

The researchers selected six hospitals in different areas in India to capture antimicrobial prescribing practices in different hospital settings i.e. two hospitals were small standalone children’s hospitals in urban areas, two were part of a rural general hospital, and two were part of large tertiary care referral centers.

The percentage of patients on antimicrobials in the study is higher than that reported in Turkey (54.6%), Italy (47%), Australia (46%), the United Kingdom (40.9%), Latvia (39%), and the United States (33%). The researchers have said that surveillance of antimicrobial use in hospitals can provide an insight into patterns of antimicrobial use, help highlight differences in prescribing practices among hospitals, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Among 51 countries for which antimicrobial resistance surveillance data were available in 2014, India had the highest proportion of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli (83%).

“We are working on an action plan to create a national surveillance system for antibiotic resistance, initiate studies documenting prescription patterns and establish a monitoring system for the same. We have also written to states that they should monitor irrational use of antibiotics in hospitals," said Dr A.C. Dhariwal, director, National Centre for Disease Control.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 22 Sep 2017, 01:09 AM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App