Old problems and new perspectives of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children / 国际儿科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Antibiotics are commonly used in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.Diarrhea is clearly one of the most common side effects encountered with antibiotic therapy.Most cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea can be classified in two categoriescases in which Clostridium difficile is implicated and cases in which no putative agent or recognized pathophysiological mechanism is clearly established.In most cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in which Clostridium difficile is not detected,no etiologic agent is identified,and diarrhea is usually mild and self-resolving.As the cause of approximately 25％ of all cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea,Clostridium difficile is responsible for almost all cases of pseudomembranous colitis and many instances of severe antibioticassociated diarrhea.For that reason,the term antibiotic-associated diarrhea is often considered synonymous with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.Through a comprehensive review of current medical literature,this article provides an update on pathogenesis,diagnostics as well as therapeutic and prevention strategies,which may be helpful in clinical prctice.