The Relation Between Usage of Clindamycin and Increasing Incidence of Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI) for Pediatric Dental Treatments Post-american Heart Association 2021 Antibiotic Prophylaxis Guideline Update

Purpose/Objectives:

Purpose: To review literature for effects of clindamycin usage as dental antibiotic prophylaxis in relation to Clostridium difficile specific towards pediatric patients receiving dental treatments.

Design/Methods: Methods: The PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane databases were searched for systematic review, meta-analysis, comparative study, longitudinal, cohort and case studies up to January 2021. Initial keyword search combinations yield 50 titles.

Results:

Results: 21 studies meeting the proposed inclusion criteria were included. 2 were case control studies, 7 were retrospective studies. Pediatric papers included patients of ages 18 and under reported Clostridioides difficile infection (N=944) which 27 cases were due to clindamycin use. Overall limited papers were found specifically towards pediatric patients’ Clostridium difficile infection as a result of clindamycin.

Conclusion/Discussion:

Conclusions: The highest incidence of Clostridioides difficile has been nosocomial infections and usage of antibiotics such as clindamycin. Therefore, clindamycin must be used cautiously with consideration of pediatric patients’ medical conditions and other risk factors. Our review result denotes the updated 2021 American Heart Association antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines for dental treatments regarding Clostridium difficile in children upon administration of clindamycin is lacking and further studies are needed.