1951. Extended Infusions of Β-lactam Antibiotics are Feasible and May Improve Mortality in the Pediatric Population

BACKGROUND: Infections due to multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are associated with poor clinical outcomes. Due to limited treatment options for MDROs, it is essential to improve the delivery of available antibiotics. Optimal efficacy of β-lactam antibiotics can be achieved when free drug concentrations exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration of the organism for at least 50% of the dosing interval. This is more feasible when extending the duration of infusion. Adult literature supporting the use of extended infusion β-lactams (EIBL) is robust; however, pediatric data are limited. Furthermore, extended infusions (EI) may be more difficult to achieve in pediatric patients due to limited intravenous line access. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of EIBLs as the standard of care and compare clinical outcomes between standard infusions (SI) and extended infusions (EI). METHODS: This retrospective chart analysis included hospitalized patients less than 18 years old between October 1, 2017 and March 31, 2019 who received at least 72 hours of cefepime, piperacillin/tazobactam, or meropenem. Patients weighing less than 3.5 kg or requiring continuous renal replacement therapy were excluded. EI were defined as antibiotic delivery over 3–4 hours, while SI were delivered over 30 minutes. The percent of patients completing therapy utilizing EI was measured. Clinical outcomes compared hospital length of stay; time to blood culture clearance, defervescence, inflammatory marker normalization; 30-day readmission rates; and 30-day all-cause mortality between the SI and EI groups. RESULTS: A total of 560 patients were included in the interim analysis. Over 90% of patients were able to complete therapy utilizing EI (Figure 1). The EI group had lower readmission rates, but the interim analysis has not yet controlled for planned admissions. A sub-analysis of critically ill patients requiring vasopressors identified a lower mortality rate (5.1% vs. 23.1%, P = 0.023) and decreased the length of stay (554 vs. 1,055 hours, P = 0.035) in the EI compared with SI group (Table 1). CONCLUSION: EIBLs are feasible in the pediatric population and may lead to improved outcomes including decreased all-cause mortality and hospital length of stay, especially in critically ill children. [Image: see text] [Image: see text] DISCLOSURES: All Authors: No reported Disclosures.