A Study to Compare the Efficacy and Safety of Extended and Intermittent Infusion of Beta-lactams in Critically Ill Paediatric Patients

Inclusion Criteria: * paediatric patients (0-17 years of age) with suspected or confirmed bacterial infection who are treated in a PICU or NICU and diagnosed with sepsis with a total Phoenix Sepsis Score ≥2 points, and the infection is clinically probable or confirmed by microbiological culture (e.g. from a blood culture, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, trachea, wound, etc.), excluding contamination; * who are receiving β-lactams including meropenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefepime and ceftriaxone; * who received the same β-lactam therapy within 24 hours prior to inclusion or started new β-lactam therapy due to clinical deterioration; * written consent of the parent or guardian is obtained. Exclusion Criteria: * palliative care patients; * patients participating in other drug trials; * patients with impaired renal function if dosing modification is required (estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate \[eGFR\]\<50 mL/min/1.73m2 for meropenem, cefepime, and piperacillin/tazobactam; eGFR\<10 mL/min/1.73m2 for ceftriaxone); * patients undergoing plasmapheresis (TPE); * patients undergoing extracorporeal therapy (continuous kidney replacement therapy \[CKRT\] or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation \[ECMO\]); * β-lactam allergy; * patients admitted from another institution or department who have been on the same β-lactam treatment for more than 24 hours; * pregnancy.