Monoclonal antibody therapies for COVID-19 have been frequently used in adults, whereas there are little data regarding the safety or efficacy of monoclonal antibody treatments in pediatric patients affected by COVID-19. We report our experience in the administration of mAb as a treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection in children aged from 24 days to 18 years old.

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OBJECTIVES Therapeutic drug monitoring during vancomycin administration is recommended. However, little information is available in case of paediatric vancomycin prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to analyse vancomycin trough levels on postoperative day (POD) 2 and 3 after paediatric cardio-surgery to assess the clinical predictors and outcomes associated with vancomycin concentrations and to evaluate whether adjustments are effective to target optimal levels. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in paediatric patients receiving vancomycin prophylaxis after elective cardio-surgery. Adjustments were made if levels between 20 and 30 (halving subsequent dose) or ˃30 mg/l (dose withheld) were found. RESULTS Vancomycin doses of the 100 examined children (3.7–6.4 years) were 12.8 (2.5), 9.4 (5.4) and 9.7 (4.5) mg/kg, on POD1, 2 and 3, respectively (P = 0.0001). The 200 vancomycin trough levels decreased from 16.9 (11.4) on POD2 to 14.6 (8.5) on POD3 (P = 0.003). Overall, 66 troughs were sub-target, 68 reached the optimal target and 66 were supra-target. On POD2 and 3, 32 and 27 dose adjustments were required, leading to a reduced number of patients with supra-target troughs. Neonates showed a higher number of supra-target levels with respect to non-neonatal patients on both POD2 (P = 0.003) and 3 (P = 0.0001). At multivariable regression analysis, vancomycin levels showed independent association with weight and creatinine levels on both POD2 and 3. Vancomycin levels correlated with ventilation days (P = 0.31, P = 0.039), but not with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus positivity (P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS Vancomycin prophylaxis in paediatric cardio-surgery requires strict therapeutic drug monitoring and several dosage adjustments. Supra-target troughs are frequent and neonatal age, weight and creatinine levels significantly affect vancomycin concentrations.

Background: The spread of carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs) is an increasingly serious threat globally, especially in vulnerable populations, such as intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Currently, the antibiotic options for CROs are very limited, particularly in pediatric settings. We describe a cohort of pediatric patients affected by CRO infections, highlighting the important changes in carbapenemase production in recent years and comparing the treatment with novel cephalosporins (N-CEFs) to Colistin-based regimens (COLI). Methods: All patients admitted to the cardiac ICU of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome during the 2016–2022 period with an invasive infection caused by a CRO were enrolled. Results: The data were collected from 42 patients. The most frequently detected pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (64%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (14%) and Enterobacter spp. (14%). Thirty-three percent of the isolated microorganisms were carbapenemase producers, with a majority of VIM (71%), followed by KPC (22%) and OXA-48 (7%). A total of 67% of patients in the N-CEF group and 29% of patients in the comparative group achieved clinical remission (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The increase over the years of MBL-producing pathogens in our hospital is challenging in terms of therapeutic options. According to the present study, N-CEFs are a safe and effective option in pediatric patients affected by CRO infections.