The Use of Antibiotics in the Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Assiut University

Introduction: Inappropriate prescription of antibiotics, dosage, and administration
can lead to an increase in morbidity and mortality among pediatric patients.
There are different indications for the use of antibiotics in the management of
congenital and acquired heart diseases, such as rheumatic fever (RF), infective
endocarditis (IE), pericarditis, and pneumonia in patients with congenital heart
disease (CHD).
Aim and Objectives: To audit the use of antibiotics in the Pediatric Cardiology
Unit, Assiut University Children's Hospital, and to evaluate their adherence to the
guidelines of their use in patients with rheumatic fever, infective endocarditis,
pericarditis, and pneumonia in patients with CHD.
Patients and Methods: This retrospective observational study included 200
patients admitted to the Pediatric Cardiology Unit at Assiut University Children's
Hospital. They received antibiotics as a part of their management plan for
rheumatic fever, infective endocarditis, pericarditis, or pneumonia with CHD for
one year, from October 2019 to September 2020.
Results: Our study included 200 patients,118 male and 82 female, with an age
range of 31 days to 15 years with a median age of 8 months. Antibiotic use was
adherent to guidelines in 100% of patients when used as a prophylaxis against
rheumatic fever, 50% of patients for eradication of streptococcal infection,
68.5% of the patients prepared to cardiac catheterization as a prophylaxis against
infective endocarditis, 100% of the patients with infective endocarditis, 75% of
patients with pericarditis and 68.8% of patients with pneumonia and CHD.
Conclusion: The antibiotic therapy used adhered to the guidelines in 69% of
patients.