Evaluation the Use of Ceftriaxone Injection in the Emergency Departments of Pediatric Hospitals in Khartoum State, Sudan

Background: Respiratory infections are the most common cause of pediatric hospitalization and among the main causes of mortality and morbidity. Injectable antibiotics are the main therapeutic option for the treatment of pediatric infections in hospitals, and ceftriaxone is considered one of the most prescribed in pediatric emergency units because of its high efficacy, high tolerability, and patient compliance. Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the uses of ceftriaxone in pediatric departments of pediatric hospitals in Khartoum state and to compare the findings with local and international guidelines. Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted during winter 2016. Three different governmental pediatric hospitals were involved, Ahmed Qassim, Omdurman and Gafar Ibn Oaf pediatric hospitals. A total of 199 patients were included in the study. A consecutive probabilistic sampling technique was used. A structured data collection form was used containing demographic and clinical data. Results: The results showed that more than half of the patients came to Ahmad Qassim Paediatric Hospital (50.7%), most of the patients were between 2 and 12 years old (51.8%) and (60.3%) of the patients who received ceftriaxone were male. Most of the patients given ceftriaxone were diagnosed as febrile convulsions (28.64%) and respiratory tract infection (14.1%). (36.7%) of the physicians prescribed ceftriaxone according to international guidelines. Only (36.7%) of the patients received the correct doses, while the rest (63.3%) received subtherapeutic dose or overdose. various therapeutic outcomes were reported. Conclusion: This study concluded that most of the patients given ceftriaxone were diagnosed with febrile convulsions and respiratory tract infections, while most physicians prescribed ceftriaxone empirically without referral to any guidelines and most patients received overdose or sub-therapeutic doses. The study recommends that there must be a local guideline(s) adjusted according to local special requirements and comply with international guidelines. These simple and easy-to-use dosing guides to physicians at emergency departments of pediatric hospitals to alleviate the problems of dose calculations and to improve the therapeutic outcome(s) for the use of Ceftriaxone injection.