Short-duration versus standard-duration antibiotic regimens for the treatment of neonatal bacterial infection

Abstract

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To compare efficacy of shorter (≤ 10 days or shorter by at least 3 days compared with the standard course in the control arm of the study) versus standard duration (> 10 days or longer by at least 3 days compared with the intervention arm of the study) of antibiotic course for treatment of neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis in preventing treatment failure and reducing duration of hospital stay. We will also evaluate the effect of shorter duration of antibiotic course on incidence of infection with multi- or pan-resistant bacteria, neonatal mortality, and neurological outcome at 18 to 24 months of corrected age.