The Retrospective Study on Antibiotics Treatment in Acute Gastroenteritis

Kim, Ji Hye; Oh, Sung Hee

Abstract

PURPOSE
Most of the gastroenteritis due to viruses and some bacteria can be successfully managed by oral and/or intravenous fluid-electrolyte replacement and antibiotic therapy is unnecessary and even harmful. It is, however, not uncommon practice to prescribe antibiotics when acute gastroentritis is suspected. Therefore authors analysed the clinical courses of the patients treated for acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis in a university hospital to assess the propriety of antibiotic usage in the treatment of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis.
METHODS
Ninty six patients hospitalized at Hanyang University Hospital from September 1993 to February 1995 due to acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis were included in this retrospective study. Fifty six patients received antibiotics (Group I) and the rest 40 patients did not (Group II). Clinical symptoms including dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, temperature, and other clinical courses were analysed and compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
1) Average age of the patients is 1.76+/-0.24 years old and not significantly different between the two groups. 2) The number of patients with moderate or severe dehydration on admission were greater in Group II compared to Group I. 3) Frequency and duration of diarrhea prior to hospitalization were not different between the two groups. However, more number of patients in Group I compared to Group II suffered from aggravation of diarrhea during hospitalization. 4) Frequency and duration of vomiting were not different between the two groups. 5) Duration of temperature elevation prior to hospitaliztion was not different between the two groups: however during the hospitalization, duration and height of temperature elevation were significantly longer and greater in Group I compared to Group II. 6) Duration of hospitalization, the time from hospitalization to recovery, and duration of intravascular cannulation were significantly longer in Group I compared to Group II. 7) Occurrence of complication was not different between the two groups and rash and paralytic ileus are the ones frequently observed.
CONCLUSIONS
The study results illustrates that antimicrobial administration appears not to be beneficial, but rather have harmful effect on the course of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis. Therefore the overuse of antibiotics on patients with acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis should be restraint.