Antibiotics in childhood can have health consequences

Frequent antibiotics in childhood can influence development

Health experts have long been warning of the consequences of overuse of childhood antibiotics. Apparently with good reason, because researchers from the New York University School of Medicine were able to confirm this assumption. Thus, studies with mice have shown that the agents are e.g. could change the intestinal flora, metabolism and development sustainably. Among other things, this had become noticeable in the animals due to an increase in bone growth and an increasing weight.

At least one prescription per child per year
Antibiotics have been among the most commonly prescribed drugs for many years. Due to the high susceptibility to infection, the prescription frequency among children and adolescents is particularly high. Accordingly, every child between the ages of three and six receives an average of at least one antibiotic a year, which is significantly more than adults. But critics have long argued against the frequent use of controversial drugs. Because too often these would also be used in viral infections, although antibiotics only act against bacteria.

Antibiotics in virus-related infections ineffective
Likewise, the massive use of antibiotics in the animal fattening, which favors both the development of resistance and the spread of bacteria with resistance, is under discussion again and again. In addition, experts repeatedly point to known side effects when taking such. Gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea and vomiting and diarrhea.

It is often assumed that a short antibiotic therapy can permanently change the intestinal flora, which in turn results in the development of the body's defense. Accordingly, experts here see a connection with the development of allergies or inflammatory bowel disease - the frequency increases, especially in young children more and more.

That the frequent early use of the drug could have many disadvantages, is now confirmed by a study by the New York University School of Medicine. For as the research team around Martin Blaser in the journal "Nature Communications" reported, a gift in early life could possibly have a lasting impact on the metabolism and development of children. According to the report, this has been shown in studies of young mice that temporarily gained weight and showed increased bone growth.

Researchers are studying the influence of two different agents
In the mouse study, the scientists had mapped the usual treatment of children with antibiotics. The broad-spectrum antibiotic "amoxicillin" and the drug "tylosin", which is currently not used in children, were used. However, it is one of the representatives of the so-called "macrolides", which are similar in their spectrum of activity to penicillin and are widely used in paediatrics. According to the "real" antibiotic therapy, the animals received the active ingredients for several days in a usual dose for the treatment. However, the researchers divided the mice into four groups, one of which received amoxicillin several times a day, another tylosin and the other three alternately. The other animals were given no agent as a control group.

Tylosin mice gain more mass and lean mass
It showed an interesting effect: While there was a significant increase in mass and lean mass in the tylosin mice, increased in the amoxicillin animals only the proportion of lean mass, which denotes the body weight minus fat mass. The tylosin would change the metabolism of animals so much that it would more often than the other mice to a fatty liver, the scientists write. But that's not all: At the same time, the active substance tylosin had also influenced the intestinal flora more than the broad-spectrum antibiotic, whereby the mice in the corresponding group reacted much later to a diet change than the control group. The researchers were also able to show that antibiotics are not only at the expense of the diversity of intestinal bacteria, but also changes the frequency of individual strains.

Results not fully transferable to humans
But the results from the mouse model could not be fully applied to humans. However, there would be overlaps with other studies that looked at the impact of antibiotics on children's health. Accordingly, linking the results could provide a valuable contribution to future treatment.

"This study identifies the key markers of the disorder and recovery that can help provide therapeutic targets for the restoration of gut flora as a result of antibiotic treatment," the researchers added.

Philipp Henneke, Section Director of Pediatric Infectiology and Rheumatology at the University Hospital Freiburg, also sees a limited transferability to the small patients. Because despite the "enormous amount of data", "life [.] Wilder than an animal experiment," the expert told the news agency "dpa". Nonetheless, many medics may be able to rethink the results: "Based on current international guidelines, it is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of healthy women receive birth control antibiotics. This prevents a streptococcal infection. However, the study shows that this precautionary measure can have long-term consequences for the children, "warns Henneke. (No)