Fig. 2. Median antimicrobial duration and interquartile range (days) for AVAC antimicrobials across ICU types. (A) CICU, (B) PICU, and (C) NICU.
that have shown substantial variability in antibiotic prescribing practices across the nation. A large retrospective study in 127 NICUs demonstrated a 40-fold variation in antibiotic prescribing patterns despite similar numbers of infections, cases of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and mortality.8 A retrospective cohort study
using data from 40 freestanding children’s hospitals noted sub- stantial variability in antibiotic use among hospitals in both the proportion of children who received an antibiotic (38%–72%) and the antibiotic duration, even after adjusting for both patient- and hospital-level characteristics.9 Similarly, a descriptive study of VAE