This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Commonly prescribed antibiotics increased retreatment need for GAS pharyngitis
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Children treated with amoxicillin or penicillin for group A streptococcal pharyngitis had higher odds for needing retreatment, according to recent study findings published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.
“Retreatment for group A streptococcal pharyngitis was uncommon, though it was associated with amoxicillin or penicillin,” Courtney A. Gidengil, MD, MPH, of the RAND Corporation and Boston Children’s Hospital, told Infectious Diseases in Children. “Any change in the initial treatment of group A streptococcal pharyngitis should take into account the risk of potential impact on antibiotic resistance if broader-spectrum antibiotics are used, particularly given the low rate of return visits for retreatment.”
The retrospective cohort study of 5,533 children aged 0 to 17 years with a positive test for group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis treated with antibiotics between May 1, 2006, and Oct. 31, 2007.
Researchers found that, in 76.1% of visits, amoxicillin or penicillin was the initial antibiotic treatment and retreatment occurred in 5.8%. Higher odds for retreatment of GAS pharyngitis were found in children initially prescribed amoxicillin or penicillin (OR=1.51; 95% CI, 1.07-2.13).
“Retreatment of GAS pharyngitis was associated with receipt of amoxicillin or penicillin as the initial antibiotic and season in our cohort, although this risk may be due in part to misclassification of patients with chronic GAS carriage,” researchers wrote. “However, the overall rate of return visits associated with retreatment of GAS pharyngitis was still quite low. Any analysis to determine the benefit-risk balance of changing the first-line antibiotic for the treatment of GAS pharyngitis from penicillin should take into account both individual and societal considerations, including the hidden costs of potential impact on antibiotic resistance in the community.”
Disclosure: The study was funded in part by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts