Abstract
Objective To evaluate current patterns in empiric antibiotic use for early-onset neonatal sepsis
(EONS).
Study Design Retrospective population-based cohort study of newborns admitted on postnatal day
0 to 1 and discharged from NICUs participating in the Pediatric Health Information
System (PHIS 2006–2013). Analyses included frequency of antibiotic initiation within
3 days of birth, duration of first course, and variation among hospitals.
Results Of 158,907 newborns, 118,624 (74.7%) received antibiotics on or before postnatal
day 3. Within 3 days of treatment, 49.4% (n = 58,610) were discharged home or remained hospitalized without antibiotics. There
was marked interhospital variation in the proportion of infants receiving antibiotics
(range: 52.3–90.9%, mean 77.9%, SD 11.0%) and in treatment days (range: 3.2–8.6, mean
5.3, SD 1.4). Facilities with higher number of newborns started on antibiotics had
longer courses (r = 0.643, p < 0.001). The cost of admissions for infants born at ≥35 weeks started on antibiotics
and discharged home after no more than 3 days of antibiotics was $76,692,713.
Conclusion Site variation in antibiotic utilization suggests antibiotic overtreatment of infants
with culture unconfirmed EONS is common and costly.
Keywords
chorioamnionitis - neonatal sepsis - group B
Streptococcus
- preterm birth