Dutch researchers find less taxing method to treat newborns with bacterial infection
Researchers at Erasmus MC and Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland found a much less taxing way to treat newborn babies with bacterial infections. Instead of the current protocol of babies receiving a 7-day course of antibiotics through an IV in the hospital, the new method allows babies to go home after three days and continue treatment there with an antibiotic drink, NOS reports.
The current way of treating a bacterial infection can be very taxing on newborns and their parents. As it is difficult to find a blood vessel in newborns, parents often have to watch hospital workers stab their baby with a needle multiple times before the IV is attached. It can also be hard on parents to leave their baby in the hospital for an entire week.
The new method switches from IV antibiotics to an antibiotic drink once it is clear that the antibiotics have the desired effect. The baby has to stay in the hospital for three days. On the first two, the child is on IV antibiotics to make sure treatment is effective. On the third day, parents learn how to administer the antibiotic drink. They can then take their baby home and continue treatment there.
The researchers followed 510 babies in 17 Dutch hospitals. Half the babies received treatment through an IV, as usual, and the other half switched to the drink after two days of infusion. They found that the antibiotic drink is safe and effective and that parents can safely and properly administer it at home, doctor-researcher Fleur Keij, neonatologist Rene Korneliss, and pediatrician Gerdien Tramper said to the broadcaster.
“Apart from the fact that we reduce the impact on the baby and parents, this treatment also results in significant cost savings. A day of admission for mother and child easily costs 1,300 euros,” Keij said to the broadcaster. “We are currently making plans to roll out the new treatment in all hospitals in the Netherlands.”
The research was published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health on Friday.
