Antibiotic prescribing practices in paediatric septic shock in a tertiary care hospital in a resource limited setting: an audit

INTRODUCTION: Early empiric broad spectrum antibiotic administration in children with septic shock improves outcome. Knowledge on possible bacterial aetiology, drug resistance pattern and rational choice of antibiotics is crucial in management of septic shock. METHODS: This was an audit carried out among 50 (0- 5 years age) children admitted with septic shock at the Kenyatta National Hospital between October to December 2016. A standard questionnaire was used for data collection as per the Surviving Sepsis Guideline. Data were stored in Excel and analyzed in Strata 12. RESULTS: Of the 50 admitted children with septic shock 86% were less than one-year age. Samples for blood cultures were removed from 12(24%) prior to administration of antibiotics. Blood culture bottles were unavailable in 80%. All children received antibiotics. Antibiotics were initiated in 44(88%) in the golden hour of diagnosis of septic shock. Monotherapy with cephalosporins 30 (60%) was the commonest choice of initial antibiotic. Antibiotics were changed in 7(22.6%) and 1(5.3%) at 24 and 48 hours respectively due to clinical deterioration. Over mortality at 72 hours was 35 (70%). All the 9 children initiated on meropenem monotherapy on admission died. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients with septic shock were under one-year age. All patients were initiated on antibiotics. Blood cultures were done in a quarter of the patients. Monotherapy with cephalosporin was the commonest choice of antibiotic. De-escalation was not well accomplished due to microbiological culture limitation. There was no standard antibiotic choice hence antibiotic use in septic shock needs to be included in the paediatric local guidelines.