Variation in antibiotic use in neonatal intensive care units in the Netherlands

Objectives To examine the variation in quantity and classes of antibiotics used in all 10 tertiary care neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the Netherlands during 2005. Methods We collected data from all tertiary care NICUs in the Netherlands on clinical and demographic characteristics and the type and quantity of systemic antibiotic use [expressed as defined daily doses (DDD)/100 admissions] in 2005. Antibiotics were ranked by volume of DDDs, and those antibiotics which accounted for 90% of the total volume of use [drug utilization (DU) 90%] were noted. Results Antibiotic consumption ran... Mehr ...