Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
11:19

Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation

Published on: January 17, 2011

17.5K

Hospital outcomes associated with guideline-recommended antibiotic therapy for pediatric pneumonia

Joanna Thomson1, Lilliam Ambroggio, Eileen Murtagh Kurowski

  • 1Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Journal of Hospital Medicine
|September 30, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Using narrow-spectrum antibiotics for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) aligns with guidelines and shows no negative impact on hospital stay, costs, or pharmacy expenses. This approach is safe for children hospitalized with CAP.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Pharmacy
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • National guidelines advocate for narrow-spectrum antibiotic therapy in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
  • The clinical impact of adopting these guideline-recommended therapies has not been previously assessed.
  • Understanding outcomes is crucial for evidence-based clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the association between guideline-recommended empiric antibiotic therapy and clinical outcomes in hospitalized children with CAP.
  • To determine if adherence to narrow-spectrum antibiotic recommendations affects length of stay, hospital costs, and pharmacy expenses.
  • To assess secondary outcomes including broadened antibiotic use and patient revisits.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study of children (3 months to 18 years) hospitalized with CAP.
  • Primary exposure: empiric antibiotic therapy (guideline-recommended vs. not).
  • Primary outcomes: length of stay (LOS), total hospital costs, inpatient pharmacy costs. Analyzed using multivariable linear regression and Fisher exact test.

Main Results:

  • Guideline-recommended therapy was used in 76% of 220 patients.
  • No significant differences were observed in LOS, total hospital costs, or inpatient pharmacy costs between groups.
  • Secondary outcomes were infrequent and showed no significant differences between the therapy groups.

Conclusions:

  • Adherence to guideline-recommended narrow-spectrum antibiotic therapy for pediatric CAP is not associated with adverse clinical or economic consequences.
  • The study supports the current recommendations for empiric antibiotic selection in pediatric CAP.
  • No negative impact on length of stay, total costs, or pharmacy costs was identified.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Pneumonia IV: Management01:28

Pneumonia IV: Management

The treatment of pneumonia varies based on its severity and the causative pathogen. Here is a structured approach to managing pneumonia, integrating pharmaceutical and supportive care strategies.
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
1.1K
Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management01:28

Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management

Introduction:For diagnosing acute pyelonephritis, a comprehensive patient history is collected to identify symptoms such as dysuria, frequent or urgent urination, flank pain, or costovertebral angle (CVA) tenderness that may suggest a kidney infection.Physical ExaminationDuring the physical examination, CVA tenderness is assessed. This involves gentle percussion over the costovertebral angle, where tenderness often indicates a kidney infection.Diagnostic TestsUrinalysis: Used to identify white...
817
Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention01:30

Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention

Nursing management of pneumonia involves promoting airway patency, facilitating rest and conserving energy, encouraging fluid intake, maintaining nutrition, and educating patients.
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....
4.1K
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
398
Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment01:30

Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment

Pneumonia poses the potential for numerous complications that warrant consideration. These complications include the following:
1.3K
Pneumonia I: Introduction01:29

Pneumonia I: Introduction

Pneumonia is an infection of the lower respiratory tract that leads to inflammation of the lung parenchyma, often resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory exudate in the alveoli and airways. Unlike the watery, low-protein fluid exudate in pulmonary edema, the exudate in this case is a thick fluid rich in immune cells, proteins, and debris produced during infection and inflammation.This impairs gas exchange and can lead to consolidation of lung tissue. The infection may be caused by a...
20