20.500.12556/DiRROS-27791 Antibiotic stewardship in premature infants a systematic review Introduction: Antibiotic treatment in premature infants is often empirically prescribed, and practice varies widely among otherwise comparable neonatal intensive care units. Unnecessary and prolonged antibiotic treatment is documented in numerous studies. Recent research shows serious side effects and suggests long-term adverse health effects in prematurely born infants exposed to antibiotics in early life. One preventive measure to reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure is implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs. Our objective was to review the literature on implemented antibiotic stewardship programs including premature infants with gestational age ≤34 weeks. Methods: Six academic databases (PubMed [Medline], McMaster PLUS, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, UpToDate, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) were systematically searched. PRISMA guidelines were applied. Results: The search retrieved 1,212 titles of which 12 fitted inclusion criteria (11 observational studies and 1 randomized clinical trial). Included articles were critically appraised. We grouped the articles according to common area of implemented stewardship actions: (1) focus on reducing initiation of antibiotic therapy, (2) focus on shortening duration of antibiotic therapy, (3) various organizational stewardship implementations. The heterogeneity of cohort composition, of implemented actions and of outcome measures made meta-analysis inappropriate. We provide an overview of the reduction in antibiotic use achieved. Conclusion: Antibiotic stewardship programs can be effective for premature newborns especially when multifactorial and tailored to this population, focusing on reducing initiation or on shortening the duration of antibiotic therapy. Programs without specific measures were less effective. antibiotic resistance antibiotic stewardship premature infant true false true Angleški jezik Ni določen Neznano 2026-02-25 09:02:15 2026-02-25 09:02:16 2026-02-26 03:55:11 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2021 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Opis vira z dne 10. 11. 2025; str. 673–686 issue 6 Vol. 117 2021 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 61 1661-7819 10.1159/000511710 256512003 RAZ_Rajar_Polona_2021.pdf RAZ_Rajar_Polona_2021.pdf 1 2CAEB425FC0CB084EAC82CC802C70A5C ff8402b84dd78819bfcbf8e0ee07b28872562dce7ea89e79bb0d3a76b488dc50 7fd5201e-1220-11f1-9cb0-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=40858 https://doi.org/10.1159/000511710 0 8ad22520-1220-11f1-9cb0-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=40859 Univerzitetni klinični center Ljubljana 0 0 0