Our study aimed to describe the use of aminoglycosides (AGs) in the pediatric population in acute settings and to assess its compliance with the most recent national recommendations.

A single-center retrospective study conducted over a 5-month period. Pediatric patients who received at least one dose of AGs in emergency or intensive care unit were included. Compliance with the 2011 French recommendations was assessed.

A total of 153 AG prescriptions (120 with gentamicin and 33 with amikacin) for 139 patients (median age of patients = 10 months [IQR: 3–36]) were analyzed. Most of the AG prescriptions were initiated in the emergency department (n = 117, 76%) and, overall, compliance with national guidelines was met in half (n = 77) of the prescriptions. In the emergency department, cases of misuse concerned the indication, mostly for patients with pyelonephritis. In the pediatric intensive care unit setting, the misuse concerned underdosing and a low rate of pharmacological monitoring.

AGs are still misused in pediatric acute settings. In order to limit drug resistance and to be more efficacious, higher doses should be used and monitoring should be performed, in particular in pediatric intensive care units. In the emergency department, more objective criteria should be used to initiate AGs.