Tips for Healthy Eyes: Antibiotics Overprescribed for Children with Conjunctivitis

Study Reveals Antibiotics Overprescribed for Children with Conjunctivitis

A recent study analyzing commercial insurance data discovered that more than two-thirds of children diagnosed with acute conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, were prescribed antibiotic eye drops. Despite the high rate of antibiotic prescriptions, researchers found that the use of antibiotics did not impact subsequent healthcare utilization, leading to concerns of overtreatment among children with conjunctivitis. The study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, was conducted by researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, Harvard University, and Boston Children's Hospital.

The research utilized data from the 2021 MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database to review ambulatory care encounters involving children aged 1 to 17 diagnosed with acute infective conjunctivitis. The primary objective was to assess the frequency of topical antibiotic treatment and its association with subsequent healthcare utilization, including ambulatory care revisits and same-day antibiotic dispensation. Despite guidelines recommending against indiscriminate use of topical antibiotics for mild cases of conjunctivitis, the study found that antibiotics were commonly prescribed, impacting a significant portion of the pediatric population in the United States.

Acute conjunctivitis can be caused by various factors such as viruses, bacteria, or allergies, with most cases being mild and self-limiting. Guidelines from the American Academy of Ophthalmology caution against the unnecessary use of topical antibiotics for mild cases of conjunctivitis, emphasizing the importance of avoiding overtreatment in such scenarios. Despite these guidelines, the study noted a high rate of antibiotic prescriptions for pediatric patients, indicating a potential need for interventions to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use in cases of acute conjunctivitis.

Moreover, the study observed that ambulatory care revisits for conjunctivitis were rare, regardless of whether patients received initial antibiotic treatment. This suggests that refraining from antibiotic use may not lead to a higher rate of subsequent healthcare utilization, highlighting the need to reevaluate current treatment practices for children with conjunctivitis. With efforts focused on reducing overtreatment and promoting judicious antibiotic use, healthcare providers can optimize care for pediatric patients while minimizing the risk of adverse effects and antibiotic resistance associated with unnecessary antibiotic use.