Antibiotic prophylaxis headlines April JADA
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Posted March 29, 2007 |
The scientific basis for antibiotic prophylaxis in selected dental patient groups will be explored in the April issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.
Dr. Peter B. Lockhart led a research team from the Carolinas Medical Center that searched the literature for evidence supporting the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in eight groups of patients with specific medical conditions and indwelling devices.
The conditions and devices included cardiac-native heart valve disease, prosthetic heart valves and pacemakers; hip, knee and shoulder prosthetic joints; renal dialysis shunts; cerebrospinal fluid shunts; vascular grafts; immunosuppression secondary to cancer and cancer chemotherapy; systemic lupus erythematosus; and insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus.
The researchers concluded that "no definitive scientific basis exists for the use of prophylactic antibiotics before dental procedures for these eight groups of patients."
The study is a precursor to revised recommendations on antibiotic prophylaxis and bacterial endocarditis expected to be released by the American Heart Association within the next several weeks.
Dr. Lockhart is the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs' liaison to the AHA committee authoring the new recommendations.
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