ArticleBMC infectious diseases2021
Antibiotic prescriptions for children younger than 5 years with acute upper respiratory infections in China: a retrospective nationwide claims database study.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- National and regional challenges of antibiotic prescribing patterns in pediatric populations across Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of Real-Time, On-Demand Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Testing at Point-of-Care on Antibiotic Prescribing and Clinical Outcome in Pediatric Outpatients With Acute Respiratory Illness: A Prospective, Quasi-Randomized, Controlled Study.Influenza and other respiratory viruses · 2026Trial
- Impact of COVID-19 on the Prevalence and Drug Resistance ofHealth science reports · 2025Article
- Pattern and appropriateness of antibiotic therapy for acute respiratory tract infection among under-five children accessing care in a tertiary facility, Sokoto, Nigeria.BMJ paediatrics open · 2025Article
- Drug Prescription Indicators in Outpatient Services in Social Security Organization Facilities in Iran.Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi · 2024Article
- Outpatient Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns in Children among Primary Healthcare Institutions in China: A Nationwide Retrospective Study, 2017-2019.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Global, regional, and national burden of upper respiratory infections, 1990-2021: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease study 2021.Science in One Health · 2024Article
- Article
- Quality of antibiotic prescribing for pediatric community-acquired Pneumonia in outpatient care.BMC pediatrics · 2023Article
- Antibiotic Prescription Patterns for Acute Respiratory Infections in Rural Primary Healthcare Settings in Guangdong, China: Analysis of 162,742 Outpatient Prescriptions.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Antibiotic prescribing patterns at children's outpatient departments of primary care institutions in Southwest China.BMC primary care · 2022Article
- Prevalence and Predictors of Antibiotic Prescriptions at Primary Healthcare Facilities in the Dodoma Region, Central Tanzania: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
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4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn China, there were few studies to estimate antibiotic use for children with upper respiratory infections at the national level. The aim of this study was to describe the antibiotic prescribing practice for children aged < 5 years old with upper respiratory infections (URIs) using a nationwide claims database.
methodsThis was a retrospective cross-sectional study using a sampled database from the China Health Insurance Research Association (CHIRA). Study subjects included children younger than 5 years with outpatient visits in 2015 that resulted in a diagnosis of a upper respiratory infection. We calculated the percentage of visits who received antibiotics, the proportion of injection formulations, the percentage of combined antibiotics and the proportion of each antibiotic class. The patterns of antibiotic prescription were also described by medical institution type, city level and geographical region.
resultsAmong the 92,821 visits, 27.1% were prescribed antibiotics, of which 27.0% received injection formulations. The rate of antibiotic prescribing varied by age group (P < 0.001), with the lowest (16.0%) in infants and the highest in patients at age 3 to < 4 years (29.9%) and age 4 to < 5 years (32.5%). The Midwestern region, underdeveloped cities and low-level hospitals represented relatively higher rates of prescribing antibiotics (P < 0.001) and higher proportions of injection dosage forms (P < 0.001). The most 3 common antibiotic classes prescribed of all visits with antibiotic prescriptions were the third-generation cephalosporins (34.9%), macrolides (24.3%), and the second-generation cephalosporins (23.3%).
conclusionsIn mainland China, the overall rate of antibacterial prescribing and the proportion of injection formulations prescribed in children under 5 years with URIs were at a low level, but still higher in underdeveloped regions and cities. Moreover, the overuse of the second and third generation cephalosporins, macrolides, remains a serious issue. Further efforts should be focused on reducing those non-first-line antibiotic prescribing and narrowing the gaps among regions and cities.
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