Antibiotic prescription in Italian children: a population-based study in Friuli Venezia Giulia, north-east Italy

Comprehensive information on prescription patterns of antibiotics in Italy is scarce. This study describes the use of systemic antibiotics in children according to age and sex in Friuli Venezia Giulia, north-east Italy. A pharmacological prescription database was used to identify individual prescriptions provided to all 0-15-y-old resident children (n= 140630) during 1998. Overall, 124 383 prescriptions were identified. The prescription rate was highest in the 3-6 y olds, with 1491 antibiotic prescriptions per 1000 children per year. Antibiotics were prescribed for 52% of infants, 57.2% of toddlers and 62%, of preschool children. Twenty-nine percent of the prescription,; were for cephalosporins, 27% for macrolides and 24% for broad-spectrum penicillins. Prescription rates were much higher than in other countries such as Denmark, with more antibiotic courses prescribed for more children at all ages. Prescriptions from general practitioners and family paediatricians often included second-line antibiotics (e.g. cephalosporins and macrolides) or antibiotics that have not been approved for community-acquired paediatric infections (e.g. quinolones). Conclusion: The development of regional guidelines for antibiotic use in children should be urgently recommended.