To investigate the necessity of routine antibiotic treatment for lactational breast abscess.

The clinical data of patients with lactational breast abscess in the Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center from January to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 106 cases were treated with antibiotics, in which 50 cases were enrolled through simple random sampling as antibiotic group. Fifty patients who received no antibiotics served as control group. The healing time, weaning rate, recurrence rate and bacteria culture results were recorded in both groups. The independent sample t test was used to compare the healing time between two groups. χ² test was used to compare the weaning rate, and recurrence rate between two groups.

All enrolled patients were discharged after they met the criteria of clinical healing. The healing time was (6.3±3.3) d in antibiotic group and (5.7±2.3) d in control group, indicating no significant difference (t=1.063, P= 0.291). The weaning rate and recurrence rate demonstrated no significant difference between antibiotic group and control group [48%(24/50) vs 36% (18/50), P=0.224; 6%(3/50) vs 8%(4/50), P=1.000]. The proportion of MRSA infection was 28%(14/50) in both groups.

There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of antibiotics for lactational breast abscess and further screening of indications is necessary