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Oversight urged after rise in linezolid use reported
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After approval in 2000, linezolid use grew steadily during a 5-year period, then stabilized, according to a report published online.
“Linezolid use has grown quickly in pediatrics, and linezolid-resistant infections have emerged,” Adam L. Hersh, MD, PhD, assistant professor, pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, told Infectious Disease News. “Additionally, not all physicians that prescribe linezolid for children know about its potentially serious side effects, especially with prolonged use.”
Hersh and colleagues used billing data from the Pediatric Health Information System, starting in 2003, to determine what types of antibiotics were used to treat children in 32 system-member hospitals.
They found that linezolid use increased fivefold from 2003 to 2007, then stabilized through 2011. They also found that linezolid was responsible for 3% of total antibiotic expenditures, and children with respiratory, oncologic or transplant conditions were the most frequently treated with the drug.
The researchers said because they used billing data, they could not be sure of the specific conditions that were treated with linezolid. Also, they did not know the rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, both of which would have influenced prescribing rates.
“Antimicrobial stewardship programs are an important way to ensure that linezolid is prescribed and monitored appropriately,” Hersh said.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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