Efficacy of cephalexin two vs. three times daily vs. cefadroxil once daily for streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis

Optimizing Oral Medication Schedules for Inpatient Sleep: A Quality Improvement Intervention

OBJECTIVES

Hospitalized children experience frequent nighttime awakenings. Oral medications are commonly administered around the clock despite the comparable efficacy of daytime administration schedules, which promote sleep. With this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a quality improvement initiative to increase the proportion of sleep-friendly antibiotic administration schedules.

METHODS

Interprofessional stakeholders modified computerized provider order entry defaults for 4 oral antibiotic medications, from around the clock to administration occurring exclusively during waking hours. Additionally, care-team members received targeted education. Outcome measures included the proportion of sleep-friendly administration schedules and patient caregiver-reported disruptions to sleep. Pre- and posteducation surveys were used to evaluate education effectiveness. Balancing measures were missed antibiotic doses and related escalations of care.

RESULTS

Interrupted time series analysis revealed a 72% increase (intercept_pre: 18%; intercept_post: 90%; 95% confidence interval: 65%-79%; P < .001) in intercept for percentage of orders with sleep-friendly administration schedules (orders: n _pre = 1014 and n _post = 649). Compared with preeducation surveys, care-team members posteducation were more likely to agree that oral medications scheduled around the clock cause sleep disruption (resident: 71% pre, 90% post [P = .01]; nurse: 63% pre, 79% post [P = .03]). Although sleep-friendly orders increased, patient caregivers reported an increase in sleep disruption due to medications (pre 28%, post 46%; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

A simple, low-cost intervention of computerized provider order entry default modifications and education can increase the proportion of sleep-friendly oral antibiotic administration schedules for hospitalized children. Patient perception of sleep is impacted by multiple factors and often does not align with objective data. An increased focus on improving sleep during hospitalization may result in heightened awareness of disruptions.

Disease manifestations and pathogenic mechanisms of Group A Streptococcus

Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes mild human infections such as pharyngitis and impetigo and serious infections such as necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Furthermore, repeated GAS infections may trigger autoimmune diseases, including acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever, and rheumatic heart disease. Combined, these diseases account for over half a million deaths per year globally. Genomic and molecular analyses have now characterized a large number of GAS virulence determinants, many of which exhibit overlap and redundancy in the processes of adhesion and colonization, innate immune resistance, and the capacity to facilitate tissue barrier degradation and spread within the human host. This improved understanding of the contribution of individual virulence determinants to the disease process has led to the formulation of models of GAS disease progression, which may lead to better treatment and intervention strategies. While GAS remains sensitive to all penicillins and cephalosporins, rising resistance to other antibiotics used in disease treatment is an increasing worldwide concern. Several GAS vaccine formulations that elicit protective immunity in animal models have shown promise in nonhuman primate and early-stage human trials. The development of a safe and efficacious commercial human vaccine for the prophylaxis of GAS disease remains a high priority.

Disease manifestations and pathogenic mechanisms of Group A Streptococcus

Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as group A Streptococcus (GAS), causes mild human infections such as pharyngitis and impetigo and serious infections such as necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Furthermore, repeated GAS infections may trigger autoimmune diseases, including acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, acute rheumatic fever, and rheumatic heart disease. Combined, these diseases account for over half a million deaths per year globally. Genomic and molecular analyses have now characterized a large number of GAS virulence determinants, many of which exhibit overlap and redundancy in the processes of adhesion and colonization, innate immune resistance, and the capacity to facilitate tissue barrier degradation and spread within the human host. This improved understanding of the contribution of individual virulence determinants to the disease process has led to the formulation of models of GAS disease progression, which may lead to better treatment and intervention strategies. While GAS remains sensitive to all penicillins and cephalosporins, rising resistance to other antibiotics used in disease treatment is an increasing worldwide concern. Several GAS vaccine formulations that elicit protective immunity in animal models have shown promise in nonhuman primate and early-stage human trials. The development of a safe and efficacious commercial human vaccine for the prophylaxis of GAS disease remains a high priority.

Symptomatic relapse of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis in children

The frequency of symptomatic relapses following various antibiotic treatments for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis was evaluated in 1080 pediatric patients. Within 5 days of completing therapy, the rank-order frequency of treatment failures was (1) penicillin, (2) amoxicillin, (3) first-generation cephalosporins, (4) beta-lactamase stable cephalosporins and amoxicillin-clavulanate ( P = .005). Retreatment of symptomatic failures resulted in another symptomatic relapse more often with penicillin than with cephalosporins (P = .02). Clinicians should be aware that the rate of symptomatic failures after antibiotic therapy for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis differs by drug and is not an uncommon event.